Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre
THE Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre (GCCEC) has won the bid for the 2018 International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC) conference.
To be held from July 21-26, 2018, more than 1,200 delegates are expected to attend the 18thbiennial event. Themed Access All Areas, the conference will see participants discuss technology and challenges associated with augmentative and alternative communication (AAC).
ACC is a set of tools and strategies that millions use worldwide to overcome complex challenges associated with the inability to use natural speech to communicate. Those affected include various disorder sufferers, victims of stroke and traumatic brain injury, temporary medical conditions and young children who are at risk of developing communication disorders.
Ease of accessibility and mobility to and from the destination, and to the GCCEC, were paramount considerations for the Canada-headquartered society. A diverse delegation consisting of users of AAC, their families, therapists, teachers, students, doctors, researchers, organisations and companies that make communication aids meant that numerous factors were considered before awarding the bid to Gold Coast.
The accessibility and infrastructure legacy of the upcoming 2018 Commonwealth Games proved highly appealing for conference organisers. Nearby Gold Coast International Airport and the wheelchair accessibility of the Gold Coast light rail, which stops directly in front of the access-friendly GCCEC, will provide ISAAC delegates with a world-class public transport network supportive of their needs.
Lead bid organiser and president of ISAAC Australia chapter, Gayle Porter said the affordability and affinity with the destination will enable more people in the Asia-Pacific region to discover more about AAC by attending the conference.
“We hope that attracting this international conference will stimulate conversations and draw awareness for people who use ACC, who sadly are all too often relegated to age care housing facilities, because of their complex communication needs,” said Porter.
