Conference venue:

Gallaudet University, federally chartered in 1864, is a bilingual, diverse, multicultural institution of higher education that ensures the intellectual and professional advancement of deaf and hard of hearing individuals through American Sign Language (ASL) and English.

There is a current impetus in recognizing the benefit of diverse perspectives in science to better capture the full breath of human cognitive and learning abilities. Different perspectives may only be truly included in the scientific endeavor when everyone is made welcome and barriers to access are dismantled. The choice to host the MCLS conference at Gallaudet University was purposely taken by the Governing Board to increase our Society’s proactive approach of being inclusive.

Conference organization:

To ensure that the MCLS Conference respects the venue’s ASL-English bilingualism and dismantles accessibility barriers, several steps will be taken to create a fully accessible conference. All symposia will be interpreted in ASL and professionally captioned. To facilitate access to content, all posters and presentations will also be available online to all attendees. Attention will be paid to physical barrier and distances between conference rooms to ensure easy access to all locations. Food served during lunch and the social night will include options for individuals with dietary restrictions. A low stimulation room will be available for down time from the busy halls and conference rooms. A private room with a sink will be available for parents and infants (upon request to provide key access). This year, the MCLS Board has been hard at work to secure external funds to cover for the additional expenses as a spring board to hopefully establish the proactive approach as part of our core values and continue to dismantle barriers in future conferences.

What we ask of you:

To make sure that our conference is truly accessible and welcoming, we need everyone’s contribution. We ask that all presenters, posters or talks, upload their rough drafts at least 48 hours prior to their talk. This is to provide ASL interpreters materials to prepare and familiarize with the topics and to provide live captioners the names and jargon words to ensure appropriate spelling.

On the day of their talk, we ask that every presenter uploads their final version, talk and/or poster, to provide guests with the possibility of seeing the presentation on their personal devices.

Conference Information

26-28 June 2024

Gallaudet University

800 Florida Ave NE, Washington, DC 20002

Campus Map

Symposia: I. King Jordan Student Academic Center, Foster Auditorium, Peikoff Alumni House

Posters: Sorenson Language and Communication Center

Reception: National Deaf Life Museum