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Quick Reference Guide to Accessible All Candidates Meetings
Conducting the Accessible All Candidates Meeting
Before the Meeting
Prior to beginning the All Candidates meeting, the following steps will help to ensure that assistive devices and services function smoothly throughout the meeting:
- Test Assistive Listening Devices and microphones to make sure that they are in working order.
- Adjust the lighting so that the location provided for the sign language interpreter is well lit.
- Check for distracting audible and visual noises and adjust accordingly.
During the Meeting
While there are variations for the format of an All Candidates meeting, the debate format will lend itself to a more accessible meeting if it allows for one speaker at a time to present their views and respond to questions. It is important for the moderator to introduce and communicate the rules to maintain order and enforce timelines during the meeting.
The same rules apply to accessible All Candidates meeting as to non-accessible meetings. However, some additional points need to be taken into consideration in order to maintain the accessibility of the dialogue.
The moderator needs to be aware of interpreting and captioning. If the pace of the discussion is too rapid, the moderator will need to remind the participants to speak at a moderate pace so that their comments can be interpreted and transcribed effectively. In addition, the moderator needs to firmly direct the conversation so that only one person is speaking at a time in order to allow each person’s conversation to be interpreted and understood correctly before the next speaker begins.
Typically, there is a maximum time limit in effect for members of the audience to pose their questions. This is necessary to avoid long speeches and to maximize the number of questions posed during the meeting. Some flexibility should be allowed for those who have difficulty speaking or whose questions need to be voiced by an interpreter or transcribed by a captioner.