Accommodations
The American Academy of Audiology is committed to working closely with the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center and all of our other vendors to provide appropriate and reasonable accommodations for an accessible convention experience for attendees at AAA Annual Convention 2026.
The accommodations outlined below will automatically be made available for all attendees, from Wednesday, April 22 through Saturday, April 25.
If you have any questions or concerns about accommodations, contact AAAinfo@audiology.org.
Auditory
Real-Time Speech-to-Text Transcription
Real-time speech-to-text transcription services will be available in most educational session rooms (Learning Modules, Mini Modules, Research Podiums, Student Research Forum, Learning Labs, Featured Sessions, Grand Rounds, and Student Series).
Real-time speech-to-text transcription services will be projected on a screen for the entire audience by utilizing artificial intelligence for the speech-to-text transcription. Seating location in the meeting room and ambient noise will not affect the transcription since the audio is received directly from the speaker’s microphone. Because the captioning will be displayed on to a large screen at the front of the room, no additional devices will be required by the attendee for viewing the captioning. Speakers will be directed to speak clearly and slowly and to repeat audience questions for inclusion in the speech-to-text transcription.
Session rooms will have reserved seating available within the first two-three rows.
Assistive Listening Devices
New This Year: AudioFetch!
We’re excited to introduce AudioFetch, a new system at the convention center that lets you use your own headphones to enhance the sound in any session room. Simply download the AudioFetch app, connect to the event’s Wi-Fi network, and select your room—it’s that easy! You can continue using your device for other needs while still enjoying amplified session audio.
Need assistance or a quick demo? Stop by the registration desk, and our team will be happy to help.
Please note: The Hub inside the Expo Hall will continue to use separate assistive listening devices for Hub sessions.
Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART)
CART Captioning will be available and projected on the large screens at the General Sessions, the Students with Hearing Loss meeting, and the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Audiologist meeting.
Each session will have reserved seating for those attendees who need to sit close to the stage in order to better hear the speaker(s).
If you have specific questions about the above, please feel free to reach out to us at AAAinfo@audiology.org.
Visual
All session rooms will have reserved seating available within the first two-three rows to allow attendees to sit closer to the stage for better visual and auditory accessibility. Presenters will also be provided with specific guidelines and best practices (drawn from organizations that specialize in this area) for developing PowerPoint slides that are accessible to all.
Mobility
San Antonio has many scooter rental companies. Below are a couple of local options should you need to rent a scooter.
Tom’s Wheelchair & Scooter Rentals
Phone: (210) 223-7878
Email: tomswheelchair@sbcglobal.net
Hours: M-F: 9:00 am-5:00 pm CST, S-S: 9:00 am-4:00 pm CST
Website: https://tomswheelchairs.com/
River City Wheels
Phone: (210) 920-6043
Hours: M-S: 8:00 am-10:00 pm CST
Website: https://rivercitywheels.com/
Let Us Know Your Accessibility Needs
While the auditory and visual accommodations outlined above will be provided by the Academy automatically, we ask that you let us know in advance regarding your specific plans.
When registering for the convention, select the Special Accommodations section, and indicate whether you require hearing, visual or mobility accommodations no later than April 1, 2026. Academy staff will follow-up to confirm receipt.
The Academy is committed to ensuring the convention is accessible to every attendee. Therefore, if the above offered accommodations are not sufficient for your participation at AAA 2026, please contact us to discuss feasible alternatives by April 1, 2026. The Academy is unable to guarantee availability of any requests made after that date.
If you have any questions or concerns about accommodations, please contact AAAinfo@audiology.org.
