Round Table on Information Access for People with Print Disabilities Inc.
The 2026 conference will explore how innovation and collaboration can open doors to greater independence and inclusion for people with print disabilities. Together, well look at practical ways to ensure everyone has the tools, resources and opportunities they need to access information on equal terms, so that information access is not only a recognised right, but a lived reality for all.
Saturday 23 May to Tuesday 26 May 2026
Pullman Adelaide Hotel
16 Hindmarsh Square
Adelaide, South Australia
Phone: +61 (08) 8206 8875
Platinum Sponsor: Beyond Blindness
Please note: The conference program may be subject to change without notice.
Program Date: 16 April 2026
9:00am 9:30am Registration
Chair: Tristan Clare
Venue: Hindmarsh 3
The agenda for the day will be circulated prior to the meeting. Further details will be made available through the OZBRL listserv.
9;30am 10:30am Welcome and opening announcements
10:30am 11:00am Morning Tea
11:00pm 1:00pm ABA Annual Meeting continued
1:00pm 2:00pm Lunch
2:00pm 3:00pm Feature Presentation
3:00pm 4:00pm Afternoon Tea and time to connect
Venue: Pre Function Area, Pullman Adelaide Hotel
8:30am 9:00 am: Registration
8:30am 5:30pm: Technology and Services Exhibition (Hindmarsh 1)
Chair: Agata Mrva-Montoya
Venue: Hindmarsh 2 & 3
9:00am 9:20am: Conference Announcements and Roll Call
9:20am 9:30am: Welcome and Presidents Introduction: Agata Mrva-Montoya, President, Round Table on Information Access for People with Print Disabilities Inc.
9:30am 10:15am: Keynote Address
1 Understanding the Cohort: What We Know about the Prevalence of Blindness and Low Vision in Australia
Presenter: Jonathan Craig, Vision 2020 Australia
10:15am 10:45am Morning Tea
12:15pm 1:00pm: Lunch Break
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Session 4 Chair: Sonali Marathe Venue: Hindmarsh 2 & 3 |
Session 5 Chair: Frances Gentle Venue: Hindmarsh 4 |
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1:00pm 1:30pm: 4a From Policy to Practice: Embedding Accessibility in Australian Public Libraries Presenters: Agata Mrva-Montoya, University of Sydney & Jo Kaeding, University of Adelaide |
1:00pm 1:30pm: 5a Certificates of Competency in Unified English Braille (literary and mathematics) Presenter: Josie Howse, NextSense Institute |
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1:30pm 2:00pm: 4b Vision Australia Library Supporting Print Access in Public Libraries Presenter: Tom Eason, Vision Australia Library |
1:30pm 2:00pm: 5b Adult Braille Training Reimagined: Empowering Learners Through Inclusive Design, Evidence-Based Practice and Bold Collaboration Presenter: Kelsey Shekelton, Vision Australia Presenters via Zoom: Carlia Rix and Louise Moreland, Vision Australia |
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2:00pm 2:30pm: 4c Meaningful Encounters with Art: Audio-Tactile Art History in Galleries and Museums Presenter: Sophie Coppenhall, Monash University |
2:00pm 2:30pm: 5c Beyond Access: Reimagining Print Disability Services Through a Belonging and Joy Lens in Higher Education Presenter: Johna Wright, Mercer University |
2:30pm 3:00pm: Afternoon Tea
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Venue: Hindmarsh 2 & 3 |
Session 7 Chair: Francois Jacobs Venue: Hindmarsh 4 |
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3:00pm 3:30pm: 6a Braille Challenge brought to Australia Presenters: Claire Farrell, See Differently with the Royal Society for the Blind & Jo Minniss, SA School & Services for Vision Impaired |
3:00pm 4:00pm: 7a Workshop: Beyond Sight: Creative Collaboration and Tactile Storytelling in the GLAM Sector Presenters: Lily Gower, SA School & Services for Vision Impaired & Danni Zuvela, Adelaide Contemporary Experimental (ACE) |
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3:30pm 4:00pm: 6b Braille Literacy Training Presenter: Emily White, Faculty of Education at the University of Melbourne |
7a Workshop: Beyond Sight continued |
Move to Plenary
Venue: Hindmarsh 2 & 3
HumanWare
Quantum RLV
Pentronics
See Differently
NextSense
Chair: Agata Mrva-Montoya
In person and via Zoom
8:30am 9:00 am: Registration
8:30am 5:30pm: Technology and Services Exhibition (Hindmarsh 1)
Chair: Francois Jacobs
Venue: Hindmarsh 2 & 3
9:00am 9:15am: Welcome and Roll Call.
9:15am 9:45am: Keynote Address
8a More Braille: More Empowerment A Global Campaign for Braille Literacy
Presenter: Frances Gentle, International Council for Education of People with Visual Impairment
9:45am 10:15am: Plenary
8b Braille: A Tactile Language of Liberation, Literacy, and Love
Presenter: Aasha Rose, University of Southern Queensland
10:15am 10:45am: Morning Tea
12:15pm 1:00pm: Lunch Break
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Session 11: Tour of South Australian School &
Services for Vision Impaired (SASSVI) |
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12:30 pm 1:00 pm: Travel to SASSVI Offices (for registered participants) |
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1:00pm 1:30pm: Open class |
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1:30pm 2:30pm: Workshop: Fluency at Your Fingertips Presenters: Skye Jones & Skye Wittwer |
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2:30pm 3:00pm: Afternoon tea |
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3:00pm 4:00pm: Statewide Support Service; Resource Centre; Accessible Format Production Presenters: Jo Minnis, Lauren Fountain and Janine Land |
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4:00 4:30pm: Travel to the Pullman Adelaide Hotel |
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Session 13 Chair: Jane Wegener |
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1:00pm 1:30pm: 12a Magnepins: A Low Cost, Buildable, and High Pin Count Refreshable Tactile Display Presenter: Jim Smiley, Monash University |
1:00pm 1:30pm: 13a Explaining to the Visually Impaired How Sighted People See the World Presenter: Kazunori Minatani, National Center for University Entrance Examinations Japan |
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1:30pm 2:30pm: 12b Workshop: Chemistry Laboratory Experiments for Students Who Are Blind Presenters: Anthony Katselas, Siegbert Schmid, Cary Supalo, Alice Motion, University of Sydney |
1:30pm 2:30pm: 13b Workshop: Rethinking Co-Design Techniques to Include Touch Lets Make an Accessible Playground! Presenters: Dagmar Reinhart, University of Sydney with Lara Anderson, Leona Holloway, Matthew Butler, Monash University |
2:30pm 3:00pm: Afternoon Tea
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Session 14 Chair: Vithya Vijayakumare Hindmarsh 2 & 3 |
Session 15 Chair: Agata Mrva-Montoya Venue: Hindmarsh 4 |
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3:00pm 3:30pm: 14a Beyond Global Standards: How the African Disability Protocol Strengthens Access to Copyrighted Works and Advances the Marrakesh Treaty in Sub-Saharan Africa Presenter: Yohannes Takele Zewale, Addis Ababa University and Light for the World |
3:00pm 3:30pm: 15a Empowerment to Navigate Academia as Blind Academics: The Importance of Cross-Institutional Peer Connection and the Recognition of Crip Time Presenters: Katie Butler, University of Newcastle, Sheelagh Daniels-Mayes, University of Melbourne, Kim Kinnear, Deakin University |
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3:30pm 4:00pm: 14b Bridging the divide that exists Presenter: James Dunn, Queenstown Mens Circle & TasMen |
3:30pm 4:00pm: 15b International BLV Students at the Crossroads: Navigating Pedagogical Content Across Language and Sensory Barriers in British and Australian Universities Presenter: Jing Hu, Monash University |
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4:00pm 5:00pm: 14c ANZAGG Workshop: Hands-on encounters with accessible art and artefacts Presenters: Leona Holloway & Sophie Coppenhall, Monash University, Debra Murphy & Trent Bretts, Vision Australia |
4:00pm 5:00pm: 15c Workshop: Rewriting the Writing Classroom: Playful, Print-Inclusive Pedagogy in Higher Education Presenter: Johna Wright, Mercer University |
Venue: Pre-function area
Venue: Hindmarsh Rooms 2 & 3
8:30am 9:00 am: Registration
8:30am 1:00pm: Technology and Services Exhibition (Hindmarsh 1)
Chair: Frances Gentle
Venue: Hindmarsh 2 & 3
9:00am 9:15am: Welcome and Roll Call
9:15am 9:45am: Keynote Address
16a The progress in STEM globally
Presenter: Cary Supalo, Research Developer at Educational Testing Service (ETS), Princeton
9:45am 10:15am: Plenary Feature
16b Accessibility of Museums for BLV: International Initiatives and Guidelines
Presenter: Dagmar Reinhardt, The University of Sydney
10:15am 10:45am: Morning Tea
12:15pm 1:00pm: Lunch Break
Move to Plenary
Venue: Hindmarsh 2 & 3
2:15pm 2:30pm: Presidents Final Address
Agata Mrva-Montoya, President, Round Table on Information Access for People with Print Disabilities Inc.