DAY TWO PROGRAM
Friday 28th November 2025
8:00am
Registrations open at Susan Wakil Building, University of Sydney, Camperdown Campus
8:30am
Acknowledgement of Country and Welcome to the Conference Day 2
- By Dr Diana Tang, a Macquarie University Research Fellow, and co-Master of Ceremonies (MC) of the conference
Empowering Access: Technology and Inclusion Through a Deafblind Lens
- By Paola Murray, who will be sharing her lived experience of deafblindness and what technologies have assisted her to live a purpose-filled life.
Presentation and live demonstration from the National Relay Service
- By Claire Rennie from National Relay Service and Michelle Stevens’ as someone with lived experience.
Introduction to Social-Haptic Communication
- By Tara Brown-Oglivie and Suzie Wilding-Hart, this presentation introduces tactile communication, a touch-based method for sharing information, emotions and environmental cues.
11:10am
Morning tea break
11:30am
Morning Workshops – 2 hours (running at the same time) –
Creativity stream:
- Guided tours of Chau Chak Wing Museum and tactile exhibits
- In this tactile, multi-sensory workshop, participants will explore artefacts from Roman history, Ancient Egypt and natural history.
- Tactile Drawing Art Workshop
- With Sophie Hague. Using carbon pens and thermal paper participants’ drawings will run through the PIAF printer which will create raised tactile versions of their artwork.
Communication Stream 1:
- Indigenous Sign Language and Blak Auslan
- By Rodney Adams, a researcher, lecturer and deaf Koori man, and Haley Martin, an Aboriginal artist from the Dunghutti and Worimi tribes. This workshop explores the emergence of Blak Auslan and examines how reclaiming and normalising Indigenous sign languages can strengthen identity, wellbeing, and cultural pride. Participants will be taught some Blak Auslan signs and the song ‘My Island Home’.
Communication Stream 2:
- Supporting children with congenital deafblindness to develop language in a tactile world
- By Steve Rose from Vision Australia, and Jamie Bennett, expert through experience. With practical activities and video examples, this workshop will give participants the tools to support and assess language development in children with deafblindness.
Better living stream:
- Developing circles of support: conscious caring approach for older adults living with DB/DSI
- By Dr Moira Dunsmore, Dr Julie Schneider and Gay Jackson (carer). In this workshop, participants will explore the conscious caring approach and develop strategies to strengthen support networks, communication, and social inclusion for older adults with dual sensory impairment.
Research Stream:
- Better Inclusive Research Panel
- Featuring: Gail Box to provide lived experience context, Hannah McPierzie, Diana Tang, Yunie Rahmat, Peter Simcock, Meredith Prain, Liz Doyle and Annmaree Watharow. This interactive workshop introduces a game to help participants identify research barriers and solutions. There will be, for online participants an epic Ashes style Australia v England game. Choose your side wisely.
1:30pm
Lunch break
2:30pm
Afternoon Workshops – 2 hours (running at the same time) –
Creativity stream:
- The Visions of Charles Bonnet Syndrome: Visual hallucinations in people with any sight loss or deafblindness.
- An Art Exhibition by Victoria Hamilton. Through digital stories, tactile models and visual designs, the exhibition transforms personal experiences into art, offering a powerful glimpse into the beauty, awe and complexity of Charles Bonnet Syndrome.
Communication Stream 1:
- Social-haptic communication for professionals and practitioners
- By Tara Brown-Oglivie. This workshop focuses on the use of Social-Haptic Communication in professional practice, across settings such as vision rehabilitation, orientation and mobility, education and technology training. Participants will learn practical ways to use haptics to enhance autonomy, participation, and meaningful connection for people who are DeafBlind, blind, or have low vision.
Communication Stream 2:
- Social-haptic communication for anyone who wants to add to their communication repertoire
- By Suzie Wilding-Hart and Susannah McNally. This workshop builds on the introductory presentation of social-haptic communication, providing participants with key techniques and skills for conveying spatial, directional, and social-emotional information through touch. With a focus on enhancing communication, autonomy, and inclusion for people who are DeafBlind, blind, or have low vision.
Better living stream:
- Tips and tricks for activities of daily living
- With Jex Truran-Lakaev (lived experience) and Jarryd Busuttil (Occupational Therapist from Vision Australia). Join this interactive workshop to explore strategies, adaptive technology and nifty ideas to promote independence, confidence and safety in activities of daily living.
Research Stream:
- Trauma and accessibility informed research skills: preparedness to enhance inclusive qualitative interviews
- By Professor Sarah Wayland. This interactive workshop offers practical skills for conducting ethical, inclusive and emotionally safe qualitative research. Participants will learn to navigate positionality, manage distress and design accessible studies that prioritise researcher and participant wellbeing.
4:30pm
Afternoon tea break
4:50pm
Final session in Julie Wu Theatre:
- Empowering Independence through Apple’s built-in accessibility features (to be confirmed)
- By Jessica Graud from the Apple Initiatives team. Explore how Apple’s built-in accessibility features on iPhone and iPad empower the deaf-blind community, enhancing independence, communication, and daily interactions. This session will showcase practical tools like VoiceOver, Braille Access, Live Captions, and Magnifier, with tips for personalising devices to meet diverse needs.
- Auditory Brainstem Implants
- By Hannah McPierzie who will share her personal experience with auditory brainstem implants.
6:05pm
Ice cream break
6:25pm
- Performance by Dizzy Bility
- The dazzling deaf/blind Drag Entertainer, Cabaret Artist, Comedian, and Podcaster, Dizzy Bility will perform a few of her favourite lip sync tracks and tell a few jokes in between to catch her breath!
Finish by 7pm