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Accessibility Unlocked 2025
Welcome to the Association for Science and Discovery Centre’s Accessibility Unlocked event!

This event is dedicated to making small changes for a big impact - everyone, no matter where they are placed within an organisation - can make a difference to accessibility. The foundational mission of all science and discovery centres and museums is to share science with everyone. As organisations built on outreach, providing accessible spaces, programmes and opportunities to engage with STEM is vital for us to achieve this mission.

We welcome ASDC members and non-members to this event, with ticket options for everyone.

To register for the event, visit: https://www.sciencecentres.org.uk/events/accessibility-unlocked/
Venue: Workshop Room 2 clear filter
Wednesday, May 7
 

10:25am BST

Signing Science: Enhancing Science Engagement through British Sign Language
Wednesday May 7, 2025 10:25am - 11:15am BST
How can science and discovery centres raise awareness of STEM related British Sign Language (BSL) signs, to ensure deaf individuals are no longer excluded from scientific conversations?

Due to the complexity of scientific language, with continuously new or long terms, many interpreters shy away from working in STEM due to fear of misinterpretation. Finger-spelling, the  method signers use to communicate words for which there is no specific sign, is often relied on but this can be slow and imprecise.

The Scottish Sensory Centre's BSL glossary project at the University of Edinburgh is creating and cataloguing new STEM-based signs, expanding upon currently available BSL vocabulary.

Fiona Slater (Science Museum Group) and Dr Audrey Cameron (University of Edinburgh) will host a session to discuss systemic barriers to inclusion in the sector and delve into a recent partnership project to expand and embed the growing lexicon of BSL signs.


Speakers
avatar for Fiona Slater

Fiona Slater

Head of Access and Equity, Science Museum
Fiona joined the Science Museum Group in April 2021, in the newly developed role of Head of Access and Equity, to oversee the Groups public commitment and core value of being ‘Open for All’. For over 15 years Fiona has worked within Museum and third sector organisations to champion... Read More →
avatar for Dr Audrey Cameron

Dr Audrey Cameron

Chancellor’s Fellow, University of Edinburgh
Audrey’s research focuses on transforming how science is communicated through sign language. As the Scottish Sensory Centre's STEM BSL Glossary project leader, she has built a comprehensive resource of over 4,000 scientific signs with her team of 40 deaf scientists, sign linguists... Read More →
Wednesday May 7, 2025 10:25am - 11:15am BST
Workshop Room 2 Winchester Science Centre

11:45am BST

Visual Stories- Reducing Uncertainty and Increasing Predictability
Wednesday May 7, 2025 11:45am - 12:35pm BST
For some visitors, if you don’t have a Visual Story (or Social Story) on your website, they simply won’t visit your venue. Hear about Life’s journey to create their Visual Story and how critical friends from the autistic community help to ensure it is accurate and up to date.
This engaging session will create the opportunity to share inspiring practice and learn from each other. So, whether you have a Visual Story or are considering developing one, this is the session for you.
If you’ve got a Visual Story, please bring it with you. Let’s all share our experiences in a safe space and learn together.

Speakers
avatar for David Jones

David Jones

Community Liaison Manager, Centre for Life
David has been Life’s Community Liaison Manager for 7 years. He works closely with a wide range of communities including autistic, deaf, vision impaired, seeking to improve accessibility for all. Life’s partnership work supporting the autistic community, received a Mariano Gago... Read More →
Wednesday May 7, 2025 11:45am - 12:35pm BST
Workshop Room 2 Winchester Science Centre
 
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