Events
We offer a wide variety of regular events, including trainings for anyone who wants to improve their skills with accessible technology tools, and regular social events!
The upcoming free iBUG training and social events for November are listed below. Note: all times listed are Central Time (U.S.). The events may be navigated by headings with your screen reader.
Please note the following iBUG Today program changes in 2026
1. iBUG VILA Book Club will take place on the second Thursday of the month at 7:00 to 8:30 PM (time change only), effective January 1.
2. iBUG Homeland Hangout will take place on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month, 7:00 to 9:00 PM, effective March 11.
All events are available on the iBUG Zoom conference platform unless otherwise noted.
To join the Zoom conference:
https://zoom.us/j/7428486329?pwd=M003RmZaa3pTbWRlZ00xbSs4YTlmUT09
One tap mobile from a smartphone: +13462487799,,7428486329#,,,,*369978# US
Dial from a phone: +1 346 248 7799 US
Meeting ID: 742 848 6329, Password: 369978
To receive notifications of upcoming training session and social events via email, please subscribe to the iBUG mailing list at the following link:
https://ibugtoday.org/get-involved#membership
Event: iBUG Mac Buzz
Date: Tuesday, November 3, 2026
Time: 5:00 to 6:00 PM
Details: Mac Buzz is a free Q&A help session for anyone with MacOS and Mac hardware accessibility questions or issues. Mac Buzz is facilitated by advanced iBUG member, Herbie Allen.
Contact: Herbie Allen, herbie.allen@gmail.com
Event: iBUG Trekkie Talk: Star Trek – Voyager, S4E20, S4E21
Date: Thursday, November 5, 2026
Time: 7:00 to 8:30 PM
Details: Join our discussion group to pre-watch and then meet to discuss the Star Trek episodes. The iBUG Trekkie Talk discussion group is facilitated by iBUG members Jody Ianuzzi and Kenny Norton. Everyone (including non-Trekkies) is welcome to participate. For more info about Trekkie Talk, please visit the iBUG Trekkie Talk website: https://ibugtoday.org/social
Contact: Sandhya Rao, ibugtoday@gmail.com
Event: iBUG Unplugged – Melodies & Memories, Dolly Parton Tribute
Date: Saturday, November 7, 2026
Time: 7:00 to 9:00 PM
Details: You are invited to join us for another episode of iBUG Unplugged to discuss miscellaneous topics of a non-technological nature.
In this month’s program, we will celebrate the remarkable life, music, and legacy of one of the most recognizable and beloved entertainers in American history, Dolly Parton.
We will put our hearts and souls into enjoying the evening as we “dance like nobody’s watching, love like we’ve never been hurt, sing like nobody’s listening, and live like it’s heaven on earth!” And you will want to review some Dolly Parton song lyrics to be ready to sing and enjoy the trivia, music, and a few surprises along the way.
Join host Pete Lane to listen and share your voice and indomitable musical spirit with your iBUG family and friends.
Contact: Michael McCulloch, ibugtoday@gmail.com
Event: iBUG Café
Date: Sunday, November 8, 2026
Time: 4:00 to 5:30 PM
Details: Join us for this free training session featuring a member of the Meta accessibility design team to discuss the latest updates to the Meta smart glasses. During our weekly iBUG Buzz and monthly iBUG Apple Workshop, we may demo an app and provide a high-level overview of the basic features of the app. The iBUG Cafe is a "deep-dive" training session on an app to gain a hands-on, working understanding and utilization of the app. Periodically, new hardware connecting to the iPhone are reviewed.
The iBUG Café training session is facilitated by advanced iBUG member, Sree Roy.
Contact: Sree Roy, sreebroy1@outlook.com
Event: iBUG Mini-Buzz
Date: Tuesday, November 10, 2026
Time: 5:00 to 6:00 PM
Details: This free Q&A help session is for anyone with questions or issues about hardware and accessories that connect to iOS devices such as smart glasses and other wearables, smart things in the home, external chargers, speakers, etc. The iBUG Mini-Buzz is facilitated by Sandhya Rao and Michael McCulloch.
Contact: Michael McCulloch, ibugtoday@gmail.com
Event: iBUG Homeland Hangout, S3E9, S3E10
Date: Wednesday, November 11, 2026
Time: 7:00 to 9:00 PM
Details: You are invited to iBUG’s next Homeland Hangout, a watch party of the Primetime Emmy Award-winning series, Homeland, which originally aired on Showtime in 2011 to 2019. Homeland is a political espionage thriller that follows Carrie Mathison, a brilliant but deeply troubled CIA officer whose instincts often place her ahead of the intelligence community—though at great personal cost. We watch two episodes each on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month. A short group discussion follows each episode. Note that the episodes are the audio track (no video) with audio description. Rated R for violence, language and sexual content. iBUG Homeland Hangout is facilitated by Michael McCulloch.
Contact: Michael McCulloch, ibugtoday@gmail.com
Event: iBUG VILA Book Club
Date: Thursday, November 12, 2026
Time: 7:00 to 8:30 PM
Details: Join us to discuss and critique this month’s featured reading:
American Sirens: The Incredible Story of the Black Men Who Became America’s First Paramedics by Kevin Hazzard, DB116198
Until the 1970s, if you suffered a medical crisis, your chances of survival were minimal. A 9-1-1 call might bring police or even the local funeral home. But that all changed with Freedom House EMS in Pittsburgh, a group of Black men who became America's first paramedics and set the gold standard for emergency medicine around the world, only to have their story and their legacy erased—until now. In American Sirens, acclaimed journalist and paramedic Kevin Hazzard tells the dramatic story of how a group of young, undereducated Black men forged a new frontier of healthcare. He follows a rich cast of characters that includes John Moon, an orphan who found his calling as a paramedic; Peter Safar, the Nobel Prize-nominated physician who invented CPR and realized his vision for a trained ambulance service; and Nancy Caroline, the idealistic young doctor who turned a scrappy team into an international leader. At every turn, Freedom House battled racism—from the community, the police, and the government. Their job was grueling, the rules made up as they went along, their mandate nearly impossible—and yet despite the long odds and fierce opposition, they succeeded spectacularly. Never-before revealed in full, this is a rich and troubling hidden history of the Black origins of America's paramedics, a special band of dedicated essential workers, who stand ready to serve day and night on the line between life and death for every one of us. 9 hours, 37 minutes
Facilitator: DeAnna Noriega
Contact: Sandhya Rao, ibugtoday@gmail.com
Event: iBUG Mac Buzz
Date: Tuesday, November 17, 2026
Time: 5:00 to 6:00 PM
Details: Mac Buzz is a free Q&A help session for anyone with MacOS and Mac hardware accessibility questions or issues. Mac Buzz is facilitated by advanced iBUG member, Herbie Allen.
Contact: Herbie Allen, herbie.allen@gmail.com
Event: iBUG Android Insight
Date: Wednesday, November 18, 2026
Time: 7:00 to 8:30 PM
Details: It's all about Android! Come and join a community that supports and discusses everything Android. Do you have an Android-based smart phone? Then this is the place. Do you have an Alexa or Google device? Then this is the place. Do you have a smart TV or a Braille device that runs on the Android platform? Then this is the place! Do you have questions or are you looking for a new device? Then this is the place to be! Android Insight is a free training session open to anyone desiring to become more proficient with the accessibility features on various Android devices. The monthly sessions are facilitated by iBUG advanced members, Ava Carruth and Harshid Trivedi.
Contact: Ava Carruth, avacarruth3@outlook.com
Event: iBUG Trekkie Talk: Star Trek – Voyager, S4E22, S4E23
Date: Thursday, November 19, 2026
Time: 7:00 to 8:30 PM
Details: Join our discussion group to pre-watch and then meet to discuss the Star Trek episodes. The iBUG Trekkie Talk discussion group is facilitated by iBUG members Jody Ianuzzi and Kenny Norton. Everyone (including non-Trekkies) is welcome to participate. For more info about Trekkie Talk, please visit the iBUG Trekkie Talk website: https://ibugtoday.org/social
Contact: Sandhya Rao, ibugtoday@gmail.com
Event: iBUG Apple Workshop
Date: Saturday, November 21, 2026
Time: 2:00 to 4:00 PM
Details: You are invited to the upcoming iBUG Apple Workshop which explores all things from the Apple-verse. Join us for this free training session for the latest news/rumors, app demos and learn more about the accessibility features of Apple products. The iBUG Apple Workshop is facilitated by Michael McCulloch and Sandhya Rao.
Contact: Michael McCulloch, ibugtoday@gmail.com
Event: iBUG Mini-Buzz
Date: Tuesday, November 24, 2026
Time: 5:00 to 6:00 PM
Details: This free Q&A help session is for anyone with questions or issues about hardware and accessories that connect to iOS devices such as smart glasses and other wearables, smart things in the home, external chargers, speakers, etc.. The iBUG Mini-Buzz is facilitated by Sandhya Rao and Michael McCulloch.
Contact: Michael McCulloch, ibugtoday@gmail.com
Event: iBUG Mac-N-Talk
Date: Tuesday, November 24, 2026
Time: 7:00 to 8:30 PM
Details: Thinking about getting a Mac? New to the Mac and VoiceOver? Already using a Mac but have questions about apps, accessibility, or getting things done? iBUG Mac-N-Talk is a free, open Q&A session for anyone interested in using the Mac accessibly. Whether you are considering a Mac purchase, learning VoiceOver and keyboard navigation, transitioning from another operating system, or looking for help with a Mac feature or app, you are welcome. Bring your questions, challenges, discoveries, or curiosity, and join the conversation with our facilitators, advanced iBUG members, Chanelle and Herbie Allen.
Contact: Chanelle Allen, chanellem.allen@gmail.com
Event: iBUG Homeland Hangout, S3E11, S3E12
Date: Wednesday, November 25, 2026
Time: 7:00 to 9:00 PM
Details: You are invited to iBUG’s next Homeland Hangout, a watch party of the Primetime Emmy Award-winning series, Homeland, which originally aired on Showtime in 2011 to 2019. Homeland is a political espionage thriller that follows Carrie Mathison, a brilliant but deeply troubled CIA officer whose instincts often place her ahead of the intelligence community—though at great personal cost. We watch two episodes each on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month. A short group discussion follows each episode. Note that the episodes are the audio track (no video) with audio description. Rated R for violence, language and sexual content. iBUG Homeland Hangout is facilitated by Michael McCulloch.
Contact: Michael McCulloch, ibugtoday@gmail.com
Event: It’s iBUG’s Life: The Holiday Meal
Date: Thursday, December 2, 2026 (Note the date change for this month only)
Time: 7:00 to 9:00 PM
Details: Join iBUG facilitator, George Battiste, as he hosts another conversation on independent living and life skills issues, adaptations, and tips for the blind.
This month’s free interactive and engaging training session will feature Herbie Allen preparing and cooking the traditional holiday meal.
Contact: Michael McCulloch, ibugtoday@gmail.com
Event: iBUG Buzz
Date: Weekly – Mondays
Time: 7:00 to 9:00 PM
Details: This free weekly Q&A help session is for anyone with iOS and iDevice (iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple TV) accessibility questions or issues. The first 45 minutes are dedicated to the beginner or novice user. The iBUG Buzz training sessions are facilitated by Maria Kristic, Brad Snyder, Sandhya Rao, Pete Lane, Ned Vanders, Stephen Kerr, and Michael McCulloch.
Contact: Sandhya Rao, ibugtoday@gmail.com
Event: iBUG After Buzz
Date: Weekly – Mondays
Time: 9:00 to 11:00 PM
Details: This forum is intended to be a relaxed, casual and safe space to share events in our daily lives. Topics range from simple ways to accomplish daily tasks to taking exotic or adventurous trips. Topics that are off limits include, but are not limited to those related to politics, religion and technology involving iBUG training. The meeting is open to everyone, however only those who are logged in prior to the start time will be admitted. The iBUG After Buzz sessions are facilitated by Jody Ianuzzi, Terry-Ann Saurmann, Mary-Alice Middleton, Deb Brummer and Ed Rhynold.
Contact: Sandhya Rao, ibugtoday@gmail.com
Event: iBUG Buzz Radio Program
Date: Weekly
Time: Thursdays, 9:30 AM, rebroadcast the following Tuesdays, 5:00 PM, or On Demand (see link below)
Details: A weekly half-hour condensed highlights version of the Monday night iBUG Buzz Q&A help session covering common accessibility questions and issues with iOS and iDevices (iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Apple TV). Also, apps useful to the blind and visually impaired are demonstrated. Listen via Sight into Sound Radio, using the special digital receivers from Sight into Sound, Sero app on your smart phone or via the internet by going to the Sight into Sound website at the following link and select the "Tune in Now" button at the times indicated above or On Demand by selecting the “Podcast” button: http://www.sightintosound.org
Contact: Michael McCulloch, ibugtoday@gmail.com
Event: iBUG Night at the Virtual Movies
Date: Weekly – Fridays
Time: 7:00 PM pre-movie social time, movie starts at 8:00 PM, discussion and Trivia Buzz follows
Details: To bring old friends together and to meet new ones, we have created iBUG Night at the Virtual Movies on Friday evenings. We meet prior to the film for a pre-movie social with song games, jokes and plenty of argle-bargle. The movies are the audio track (no video) with audio description. Discussion and movie trivia will follow immediately after the movie. Visit our website each week to check out the movie feature: https://ibugtoday.org/movie-nights. This presentation by iBUG Today is for the blind and visually impaired and is produced and distributed exclusively for use by blind, visually impaired, or physically disabled individuals under the authority of Section 121 of Title 17 of the United States Code, or with permission of the copyright owner(s).
Contact: Sandhya Rao, ibugtoday@gmail.com
Event: iBUG Buzz, iBUG Apple Workshop, iBUG Café, iBUG Mac-N-Talk and iBUG Android Insight Podcasts
Date: On Demand
Details: To review a past iBUG training session, check out our podcasts of the various weekly and monthly sessions. Available on Apple, Spotify, Google and Alexa by asking your voice assistant to play the latest iBUG Buzz, iBUG Apple Workshop, iBUG Café, iBUG Mac-N-Talk or iBUG Android Insight Podcast. Also available on your favorite podcast app by subscribing to the appropriate iBUG session podcast.
Contact: Michael McCulloch, ibugtoday@gmail.com
Event: iBUG Buzz, iBUG Apple Workshop, iBUG Café, iBUG Mac-N-Talk, iBUG Android Insight, It’s iBUG’s Life, and special episodes of iBUG Unplugged on YouTube
Date: On Demand
Details: Did you miss the latest iBUG training session? Do you want to review a past training session? Are you looking for an alternative way to listen to the iBUG training sessions other than the iBUG Today website archives?
If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then you are in luck. iBUG Today’s training sessions are also available on YouTube. There are separate playlists on the iBUG Today YouTube channel for the iBUG Buzz, iBUG Apple Workshop, iBUG Café, iBUG Mac-N-Talk, iBUG Android Insight, and It’s iBUG’s Life sessions, and special episode of iBUG Unplugged. Please use the following link to access the iBUG Today YouTube channel. Please select the subscribe button and then select the notification bell to receive notifications when the latest training session has been uploaded.
Contact: Michael McCulloch, ibugtoday@gmail.com
Be an Active Part of the iBUG Story
If you, a family member, or a business that you frequent would like to further our mission, please consider becoming a volunteer or making a tax-deductible donation at the following link: https://ibugtoday.org/get-involved#donate.
Weekly Programming
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When: Mondays, 7-9PM CT
Where:on Zoom
Description: This is a free weekly Q&A help session for anyone with an iOS device accessibility questions or issues. The first 45 minutes are dedicated to the novice user, and app or iOS features may be demonstrated by advanced members.
Facilitators:
First Mondays: Maria Kristic, Sandhya Rao
Second Mondays: Brad Snyder, Sandhya Rao
Third Mondays: Greg Rhodes, Sandhya Rao
Fourth Mondays: Pete Lane, Sandhya Rao
Backup Facilitators: Desi Noller, Michael McCullochFor additional information, contact: Sandhya Rao
To listen to past iBUG Buzz sessions: visit our archive!
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When: Wednesdays, 1:30PM CT
Rebroadcast:
Tuesdays, 5:30PM CT
Wednesdays, 5:30AM CTWhere: Sight Into Sound (https://www.sightintosound.org/)
Description: A radio show version of our iBUG Buzz training: listen in on Sight Into Sound radio. You may listen to the program hosted by Jim Bratten using the special digital receivers from Sight into Sound, iBlink app on your iDevice or via the internet by going to the Sight into Sound website at the following link and selecting the "Tune in Now" link at the appropriate time or the "Podcast" link for on demand listening.
Host: Jim Bratten
For additional information, visit: Sight Into Sound (https://www.sightintosound.org/)
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When: Fridays, 7:15 PM CT
Where: on Zoom
Description: iBUG Night at the Movies plays movies from all genres: dramas, romantic comedies, thrillers, mysteries, film noir, etc. We have a pre-movie social time at 7:15 PM Central Time to play song games, share jokes and plenty of argle-bargle. Then at 8:00 PM, we play the audio-described movie (audio track only, no video). After the movie, we share comments, critiques and trivia of the movie. Everyone is welcome, and we would love for you to join us anytime.
To learn about this week’s feature, click here.
Monthly Programming
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When: First and Third Tuesdays, 5-6PM CT
Where:on Zoom
Description: Mac Buzz is a free Q&A help session for anyone with MacOS and Mac hardware accessibility questions or issues. Mac Buzz is facilitated by advanced iBUG member, Herbie Allen.
Facilitators: Herbie Allen
For additional information, contact: Herbie Allen
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When: First and Third Thursdays, 8PM CT
Where: on Zoom
Description: Since many iBUGgers are also Trekkies or Trekkie wanna-be's, we have created a discussion group to watch audio described episodes (when available) of Star Trek and then meet together via conference call to discuss the episodes. We review the episodes on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of the month, 8:00 PM (CT). The iBUG Trekkie Talk discussion group is facilitated by Kenny Norton and Jody Ianuzzi. Everyone (even if they are not a member of iBUG) is welcome to participate.
We are currently watching episodes of Star Trek - The Next Generation. We pre-watch and then meet to discuss 2 episodes per discussion session.
Other episode series of Star Trek are available from several sources including Netflix, Amazon Prime movies, Hulu+, Youtube and Paramount+. Scripts of all Star Trek TV series and movies may be found at: https://www.st-minutiae.com/resources/scripts/index.html
Facilitators: Kenny Norton and Jody Ianuzzi
To join the Trekkie Talk mailing list, contact: Sandhya Rao
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When: First Saturdays, 7-9PM CT
Where: on Zoom
Description: iBUG Unplugged is a casual setting to discuss miscellaneous topics of a non-technological nature, such as games, trivia, songs, predictions, moral dilemmas and more.
Facilitator: Michael McCulloch
For additional information, contact: Michael McCulloch
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When: Second Sundays, 4-5:30PM CT
Where: on Zoom
Description: The iBUG Cafe is a deep dive training on a chosen third-party app, or genre of apps, for participants to gain a hands-on, working understanding of how best to utilize the chosen app.
Facilitators: Sree RoySree Roy
For additional information, contact: Sree Roy
To listen to past iBUG Cafe sessions: visit our archive!
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When: Second and Fourth Tuesdays, 5-6PM CT
Where: on Zoom
Description: This free Q&A help session is for anyone with questions or issues about hardware and accessories that connect to iOS devices such as smart glasses and other wearables, smart things in the home, external chargers, speakers, etc.
Facilitators: Michael McCulloch and Sandhya Rao
For additional information, contact: Sandhya Rao
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Please join us for the next meeting of the VILA Book Club, sponsored by iBUG Today.
When: Thursdays, 6:30 to 8:00 PM Central Time
Where: on Zoom
Facilitator: Gail Greenberg
To learn about our current book, click here.
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When: Third Wednesdays, 7-8:30PM CT
Where: on Zoom
Description: Do you have questions about the Android operating system and its devices? If you do, or if you want to learn how an Android device can be used by the blind and visually impaired, join us for this free training session.
Hosted by advanced iBUG members Ava Carruth and Harshid Trivedi, this training is open to anyone who desires to become more proficient at using the accessibility features of Android devices and Google’s operating system, which can be used on many different devices.
Facilitators: Ava Carruth, Harshid Trivedi
For additional information, contact: Ava Carruth
Additional information: There is also an Android Insight email discussion group where you may ask questions and get help. If you would like to continue the conversation between monthly Android Insight sessions, please join the discussion group by sending a blank email to ibugandroidinsight+subscribe@groups.io
To listen to past Android Insight sessions: visit our archive!
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When: Fourth Sundays, 2-4PM CT
Where: on Zoom
Description: The iBUG Apple Workshop explores all things from the Apple ecosystem. Join us for this free training to learn more about the accessibility features of iOS products.
Facilitators: Michael McCulloch, Sandhya Rao
For additional information, contact: Michael McCulloch
To listen to past Apple Workshops: visit our archive!
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When: Fourth Tuesdays, 7-8:30PM CT
Where: on Zoom
Description: Are you thinking about getting a Mac? Are you wondering if you will be able to learn the accessibility features of the Mac operating system on your own? Do you have issues with, or questions about, using your Mac?
If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you should join us for this free, iBUG Mac-N-Talk training, where you will learn the accessibility features of Mac software and hardware.
Facilitators: Chanelle Allen
For additional information, contact: Chanelle Allen
Additional Information: There is also a Mac-N-Talk email discussion group where you may ask questions and get help. If you would like to continue the conversation between monthly Mac-N-Talk sessions, please join the discussion group by sending a blank email to ibug-macntalk+subscribe@groups.io
To listen to past Mac-N-Talk sessions: visit our archive!
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When: Fourth Thursdays, 7-9 PM CT
Where: on Zoom
Description: Conversations on independent living and life skills issues, adaptations, and tips for the blind.
Facilitator: George Battiste
Seasonal Programming
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Description: This twelve-week, introductory training course is intended for new Mac users. Students will learn the basic layout of Mac computers, how to use VoiceOver and Siri, how to adjust accessibility settings, and more.
Syllabus:
Session 1: Getting Started with the Mac Part 1: VoiceOver Basics and Mac Layout
Session 2: Getting Started with the Mac Part 2: Accessibility Settings and Siri
Session 3: Wrap-up and Review of VoiceOver Basics
Session 4: Mac-N-Talk
Session 5: Finder
Session 6: Safari Part 1
Session 7: Safari Part 2
Session 8: Mac-N-Talk
Session 9: TextEdit
Session 10: Mail Part 1
Session 11: Mail Part 2 and Review
Session 12: Mac-N-TalkCourse Requirements:
1. Participate in all classes and review sessions with no more than one absence.
2. Complete homework assignments, which include reading, Mac practice, and providing oral answers to some of the focus questions from each lesson.
3. Attend the monthly iBUG Mac-N-Talk conference call. Three are included in this course.
4. Must be able to follow classroom instruction consisting of lecture and live demonstrations.
5. All course sessions are conducted in a group format; one-on-one training will not be provided.
6. Basic knowledge of Windows, iOS, and/or other operating systems may be useful as a reference point but is not required.
7. The course will be most beneficial for students who have Macs newer than 2013 that support MacOS Big Sur.
8. All sessions will be conducted via Zoom remote conferencing, a free application available for both computer and phone that may be found at http://zoom.us and in the iOS, Android, and Windows app stores.
9. Lecture recordings will be made available to review class material between sessions. The recorded sessions may also be posted to the iBUG Today website and social media for use by interested individuals who are not otherwise able to take the course. Please do not sign up if you are uncomfortable being recorded.
10. During the class, you will be part of an email list for the receiving of announcements and discussion of course material.
Note: violation of any of the above requirements may result in removal from the course.Facilitators: Chanelle Allen
For additional information, contact: Chanelle Allen
To enroll: If you are interested in enrolling in the course and meet the above requirements, please contact Chanelle Allen. Also, please provide the model number and/or year of your Mac to ensure compatibility.
Google Calendar
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