Pre-networking Sessions Accessibility

On this page you will find accessibility information on Zoom, Kumospace and some external websites that will be used for the NPDC21 pre-networking sessions.

Zoom and Kumospace

We are hosting our pre-networking sessions on several platforms, which have different levels of accessibility. You will never be obliged to turn on your camera or microphone, and are always welcome to participate only via the text chat if you would prefer.

Zoom sessions

This video-conferencing software can be used with a screen-reader and the font size of chat and closed captioning can be adjusted. Our facilitators will give both verbal instructions and information in the chat

Kumospace sessions

This immersive video chat software involves moving your avatar in a virtual environment. You can enable or disable video or microphone once you’ve entered the room and can also write text in the chat function. Both audio and chat messages are relayed to a limited number of people when you set your audio range to “normal” or “quiet”. There is a zoom function. Video thumbnails that are displayed as virtual avatars are small  proportionate to the room and cannot be enlarged. You can disable the sound of a doorbell when people enter the Kumospace if you would like. Instructions shared to you by the organisers will be communicated via a small “pop out” video and audio broadcasted to the whole room as well as in the text chat.

External sites

For some sessions we will also be linking to external sites:

  • On the website www.horsepaste.com (for Codenames Game session) you can adjust setting to enlarge the board to full screen, add patterned borders to help colour-blind players distinguish teams and darken the brightness of the board. You will be provided with a customised URL by conference organisers, so you will only be playing with other registered participants, not members of the general public. 
  • On the website www.garticphone.com (for Online Pictionary session) please be aware there are moving animations and bright visuals. These cannot be magnified within your browser. A telephone will also ring loudly to indicate when time is running out - you can “mute” this function at the start of the game. Drawing on a computer is not always easy: we recommend you use a mouse or tablet-pen, rather than your finger or a trackpad to do so. You will be provided with a customised URL by conference organisers, so you will only be playing with other registered participants, not members of the general public. 
  • The website Box of Broadcasts, is an archive of recorded live British TV available to UK higher education institutes holding an ERA licence. You are welcome to access the film for our virtual movie night using any platform of your choice. On Box of Broadcasts Users can zoom up to 200% without impacting the functionality of the website, navigate most of the website using just a keyboard, listen to most of the website using a screen reader. and control the video play with a keyboard. However, you cannot change colours, contrast levels and fonts and text-alternatives are not always provided for non-text content.

If you have any additional accessibility needs please let us know via the Eventbrite registration form, or by emailing Researcher@liverpool.ac.uk

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