Survey question!

[selkiechick]

I am working on my own local conventions access services (arisia), and at the same time trying to write up Some "best practices" to write up at conrunner.net and share at SMOFcon in December.

Now, i do that the best practice is to put a link to your accommodations statement and information right there on the front page, but that is a hard sell, so i am looking at the second best option- how to make the information easy to find by search (because not everyone has the time/patience to dig through the menus/org chart).

When looking over a convention page to find out if they have any accommodations for fans with disabilities, which search terms are you most likely to use? At the moment I am including all of the following search terms on the access services website, because, especially as fandom ages, different people know different terms for what they are seeking.

A. access/accessibility
B. accommodations
C. disabled/disability
D. Handicapped
E. More specific terms, Blind, Deaf, Wheelchair, etc.
F. Some other REALLY obvious term I failed to list.

Thank you very much for your time!

Selkie

Comments

[sasha_feather]

Mobility, navigation, signage, maps, scents, stress...
Canes, walkers, parking (disabled parking information)
ASL, interpreters, captioning
Allergies, allergens, breathing

[dogstar]

I really like it when they have a nice well-labeled 'disability services' link/page or something. (Accomodations will usually find me hotel info, too). Service animal/disability policy is another keyword.

[cantarina]

I always look to see if the convention has some sort of quiet rest area, rest space, something along those lines.

[lilacsigil]

Disability first, then access, then specific terms like seats/seating, stairs, strobe, parking.

[jesse_the_k]

I don't understand why a service which makes more of your members enjoy the con is a "hard sell," but I'm a dreamer, yes?

I rarely find a search on the front page (although I love sites that do). If I'm forced to browse, I always start looking under the "Amenities" or "Services" or "Features" menu, as well as whatever the "Here's where you're going to stay" item is called. (On some sites, the name is "Accomodations," meaning where you stay, and not how the con works for you. Which is confusing.)

[(Anonymous)]

Yes, you are a dreamer (but you're not the only one...)
For the con I am working with, we (Access Services) are the top link under Information... so I am pretty happy with that. I have seen the access services page buried pretty deeply in more than a few pages, and resorted to search to find it. Which led to to my list of search terms, in part because there were a number of words I had deliberately chosen not to use.
Thanks for your unput!

[selkiechick.livejournal.com]

Sorry- the above is me...I failed to sign in (and you canna delete or edit anon posts, once they have gone live.