EDUCAUSE strives to hold meetings, conferences, and other professional events where all attendees feel welcome and barriers of any type do not exclude people from attending or participating. EDUCAUSE recognizes that long-term and lasting progress on this front will require time, sustained effort, and the cumulative impact of incremental and individual actions.
If you have any questions about our policies, or need special accommodations, please email [email protected] for assistance.
Hearing Impairments
Closed Captioning
The General Session presentations and all Featured Session rooms have captions provided onscreen by a live, human captioner.
For all other conference sessions, Wordly captioning and language translation is available. Please select the "Wordly" link in the conference mobile app for more information.
Sign Language Interpreters
Interpreters are available with at least 21 days' advance notice. Requests received after this deadline will be handled on a case-by-case basis. Please email us at [email protected] for assistance.
If you have any needs that are not covered by these services, we would be happy to work with you to find/provide adequate accommodations. Please email us at [email protected].
Mobility
Airports
Conference Venue
Accessibility information is available on the McCormick Place ADA Accessibility web page.
Scooters and Wheelchairs
Scooters and wheelchairs are available for rental from Scootaround. You can get information, view pricing, and make reservations on their website or by calling the convention customer service team at 888-441-7575.
Session Rooms
ADA seating areas will be available for all educational session rooms. Registrants with disabilities are given priority seating.
Hotels
- Embassy Suites by Hilton Downtown Magnificent Mile
- Hilton Chicago
- Hyatt Regency Chicago
- Hyatt Regency McCormick Place
- Marriott Marquis Chicago
- Palmer House Hilton
- Sheraton Grand Chicago
Shuttle Transportation
Information and special assistance is available by calling 310-466-5699. Please call at least 60 minutes prior to desired pickup time.
Visual Impairments
On-site Assistance
With at least 21 days' advance notice, we can provide assistance to attendees who are blind or have limited vision. Requests received after this deadline will be handled on a case-by-case basis. Please email us at [email protected] for assistance.
Free Registration for Assistants
Free registration is available for assistants who are attending solely to support visually impaired attendees. To apply, please email us at [email protected].
Conference Agenda
Remediated, fully accessible versions of our agenda and conference guide are available here.
Dietary Restrictions
Special Meals
We can provide special dietary meal requests with at least 21 days' advance notice. Dietary requests received after this deadline will be handled on a case-by-case basis. Please alert us about dietary needs during the registration process or by contacting us at [email protected].
Parenting/Maternity
Mamava Lactation Suite
This convenient on-site pod provides a private place for nursing mothers during the conference. Gain free "smart access" by downloading and using the Mamava mobile app. A refrigerator/freezer is available for storage for nursing mothers at the First Aid Office. Both are located in the Lobby on Level 1 of McCormick Place West.
Service Animals
All grassy areas immediately outside of McCormick Place are open for use by service animals, with primary locations along Indiana Ave. to the west and Martin Luther King Dr. to the east.
In the case of inclement weather, please use the large covered area at the north end of the West Building at gate 41. See photo below. There are some planters that are covered by the roofline above. This is located by rooms W175 and W176.
For information regarding specific hotels and their service animal relief areas, please contact your hotel directly, or email [email protected] and we can help put you in touch with the right person.
All-Gender Restrooms
You'll find designated single-occupancy, all-gender restrooms throughout the conference venue.
Accessibility Resources for Presenters
EDUCAUSE has developed accessibility information for presenters, including a set of resources and best practices.
Wordly Translation Service
EDUCAUSE is using Wordly, a service that provides real-time captioning and translation for attendees. The Wordly service works via a mobile device, which we will set up in each session room. The device takes sound from the audio mixing board and sends it to Worldy, which then makes it accessible to attendees via the web browser on their computers and/or mobile devices.
Attendees can access the Wordly translation service via a link available in the conference mobile app and on our website.
The service works best with clear audio from the microphones. Please ensure that you use the microphones provided for all presentation content, including audience Q&A.
The accuracy of transcriptions may be low for videos embedded in your presentation. We recommend having captions added to all videos prior to the conference.
Affordability
Scholarships
Financial assistance is available to help with professional development, recognizing a combination of past achievement, personal and institutional commitment, potential benefit, and financial need.
To see more about our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts, please visit our DEI page.