How to Attend the IDRAC Conference in Second Life®

A Little Bit about Second Life

Second Life (also known as SL) is a virtual world created in 2003 by Linden Research (also known as Linden Lab). Second Life is an interactive, simulated environment populated with avatars that is similar in some ways to online games (multi-user, interactive between users and objects, is immersive and three-dimensional) but with some significant differences. It has no clear objectives, goals or points; it serves as a platform for communities, educational institutions and nonprofits. Viewer software is installed on a user's computer in order to access the virtual world.

Hardware Requirements
You need a computer or laptop with a minimum of 512MB of RAM available and a powerful video card with a high-speed internet connection. The operating system can be Windows, Mac or Linux. See more details about system requirements, here: http://secondlife.com/corporate/sysreqs.php.

Headset
For voice chat capability, you need at least a microphone and speakers. Using a headset is the preferred option. The Logitech Premium USB Headset 350 is one example of a headset that works well with Second Life, Voice-over-IP (such as Skype), recording podcasts and online games. When using a headset you will need to indicate this in your Preferences (found under the Me menu at the top left in your viewer).

Personal Capability Requirements
These are the basic skills needed to navigate Second Life well, all of which can be performed with assistive technology if needed.

• Typing text
• Seeing the computer screen well enough to read text
• Pressing and holding down keyboard one or more keys for several seconds
• Pressing two keys on opposite sides of the keyboard
• Moving the mouse and pressing mouse buttons
• Moving the mouse and pressing mouse buttons

Entering Second Life
There is a short process in which you will create a Second Life user account with your avatar name and a password. Then you will choose your avatar, download and install the viewer software. Next you will log into Second Life, and when you log in for the first time, you will find yourself at the beginning of a 3D orientation course that will take you through some basic skills including those mentioned above. This orientation course is on Virtual Ability island, near the auditorium where the IDRAC conference will take place.

When you come into Second Life to attend the conference, there will be mentors and greeters available to assist with any questions and to direct you to The Sojourner Auditorium.

This page on Virtual Ability's website has more details: http://www.virtualability.org/sign-up-for-second-life/essential-second-life-skills/.

We look forward to having you with at Virtual Ability's sixth annual International Disability Rights Affirmation Conference, at The Sojourner Auditorium in Second Life, December 1-2, 2017.