2026 Call for Abstracts

Innovation, Collaboration and Empowerment: Gateways to Information Access

Sunday, 24 May 2026 – Tuesday, 26 May 2026
Pullman Adelaide, 16 Hindmarsh Square, Adelaide, SA 5000

It is with great pleasure we open the Call for Abstracts for the 2026 Round Table Conference.

Description

Innovation is revolutionising how we create, share, and access information, breaking down barriers that have long excluded individuals with print disabilities from full participation in society. The 2026 Round Table conference will celebrate the transformative power of collaboration, bringing together technologists, advocates, educators, librarians, publishers, and people with lived experience to create solutions that transcend what any single sector could achieve alone. Through groundbreaking technological advances, creative advocacy approaches, and cross-sector partnerships, we are witnessing unprecedented opportunities to build truly inclusive information ecosystems.

Conference Aims

The 2026 conference will examine how innovation and collaboration serve as gateways to empowerment, ensuring that every individual has the tools, resources, and opportunities to access information on equal terms and chart pathways toward a future where information access is not just a right, but a lived reality for all.

Invited Topics

We invite engaging, dynamic and thought-provoking proposals for in-person papers and workshops addressing critical areas such as accessible format creation, advocacy and policy advancements, technological innovations, inclusive education and employment practices, the lived experiences of print disability, and the unique challenges and opportunities within the GLAM sector. The specific subthemes include:

Accessible format creation: exploring challenges and solutions related to publishing, copyright and alternative format creation; showcasing cutting-edge technologies and strategies that facilitate more efficient production of accessible materials.

Advocacy and policy: exploring legal frameworks, advocacy strategies, and policy changes that promote the rights of individuals with print disability.

Technological innovations: focusing on the latest advancements in Artificial Intelligence, assistive technologies, web and mobile accessibility solutions.

Inclusive education: exploring strategies that address various learning needs from early childhood to higher education, and smooth transition into the workforce.

Inclusive employment: investigating approaches to creating a workplace that promotes the recruitment, retention and advancement of people with print disability.

Lived experience of print disability: focusing on the unique challenges faced by people with print disability.

Accessibility in the GLAM sector: focusing on challenges and opportunities in making galleries, libraries, archives, and museums, cultural content and recreation accessible to individuals with print disability.

Types of Presentations

The conference will take place in person. We are looking for:

  • Oral presentation of approximately 30 minutes (20-minute presentation plus 10 minutes for audience questions or discussion).
  • Interactive workshop presentation of 60- or 90-minutes duration, providing opportunities for the active engagement of participants.

In-person presentations will be given preference.

Conference Participants and Presenters

The conference provides a forum for all of those with an involvement or interest in information access for children and adults who cannot readily access standard print. Conference participants and presenters generally include the following:

  • Individuals with print disabilities, including people with vision impairment, learning disability and dyslexia.
  • Disability service providers, including national and local government agencies, education and rehabilitation professionals, disability officers, librarians, and web and technology developers.
  • Accessibility experts, specialists and researchers.
  • Consumer representative organisations.
  • Publishers, librarians and accessible format producers.

Closing date for abstract submissions: Monday, 10 November 2025

Please complete the online Round Table Abstract Submission Form

Accessibility of Presentation

If your paper is accepted, you will be sent guidelines for accessible presentations that must be adhered to.

Attendance of Other Sessions

Presenters may attend the conference session prior to their session at no cost. If you wish to attend the full day or on an alternate day, or the full conference, then you will need to register and pay the applicable registration fees.

For further information regarding the program please contact:

Jane Wegener, Conference Convener
Email: conference@printdisability.org

For general information about the conference, please contact:

Marjorie Hawkings, Round Table Conference Planner / Administration Officer
By Email: admin@printdisability.org