Manage access conflicts

Consultation fatigue in D/deaf and D/disabled communities

Many D/deaf and D/disabled community members are often asked for feedback, but rarely see real changes. This can lead to consultation fatigue, making people less willing to participate and reducing trust in standards organizations.

Common problems include:

• Skepticism about whether participation will make a difference.
• Feeling that feedback is ignored or not acted on.
• Being asked for input many times without clear follow-up, leading to emotional and mental fatigue.

• Establish continuous feedback loops
• Help with information management
• Help with travel planning
• Manage access conflicts
• Set clear and realistic timelines for reviews, drafts, or revisions
• Show accountability and build trust with D/deaf and D/disabled people

Difficulty receiving and communicating information

When access needs are not considered, many people will have trouble getting or understanding information. Some things to consider include:

• Language is often too technical and full of jargon.
• Documents and materials are often not shared early enough to allow people to prepare.
• PDFs, videos, or online content are not always accessible (e.g., screen-reader friendly, captioned, or transcribed).
• In fast or large group discussions, many people get left behind, especially when they are new to the subject matter. This is magnified for D/deaf and Hard of Hearing people who rely on sign language/interpretation.
• Blind or low-vision people often can’t see body language, facial expressions, or visual cues that clarifies information being communicated.
• Visual content like slides, diagrams, or infographics are often not described clearly.
• Using multiple channels at once, such as chat, email and verbal discussion, can be confusing and often does not work well for people using screen readers.

People may also have trouble sharing their thoughts or participating. Some things to consider include:

• Meetings that lack structured ways to take turns or contribute often leave out neurodiverse people who require clear structures. This can also be a disadvantage for people who depend on sign language/interpretation, such as D/deaf and Hard of Hearing people.
• Without clear cues, new members often worry about interrupting and miss opportunities to contribute.
• Lack of quiet or low-stimulation options can make participation harder for people with sensory sensitivities.
• Poor audio, video, or caption quality in remote meetings can prevent people from fully participating.
• People are less likely to continue sharing when they don’t get feedback on whether their contributions were received or understood.

• Host onboarding meetings before committee work begins
• Make communications multi-modal and consistent
• Manage access conflicts
• Plan what to do if goals aren’t met
• Provide a welcome package for new members
• Provide translation and interpretation for everyone

Inaccessible hybrid meetings

During hybrid meetings, where some people are physically in the room and others are online, people in the room often have an advantage. If the meeting is not set up well, remote and disabled participants can miss important information or have their input overlooked.

Common problems include:

• Poor sound, background noise, or people speaking without microphones.
• Cameras not showing who is speaking.
• Slides or visuals not described out loud, which is also a problem for blind and low vision people who are in the room.
• Captions missing or incorrect.
• People providing sign language/interpretation not visible to everyone.
• Documents and tools that do not work with screen readers or other assistive technologies.
• Materials shared only during the meeting, not in advance.
• No clear system for taking turns.
• Facilitators focusing mostly on people in the room.
• Online contributions being missed or ignored.
• Side conversations happening in the room that remote participants are left out of.
• Technology delays or platform problems.

• Be flexible with meeting time and timelines
• Choose accessible meeting spaces
• Make online meetings accessible
• Manage access conflicts
• Plan meetings so people worldwide can join
• Provide translation and interpretation for everyone
• Set meeting language captions correctly
• Use accessible hybrid meeting practices

Lack of training and support for chairpersons and facilitators

Chairpersons and facilitators often need help to run inclusive and accessible meetings, but support is limited. Common problems include:

• Few resources are available on how to lead inclusively and accessibly to ensure everyone, including D/deaf and D/disabled people, can participate.
• Little guidance is provided on managing diverse or cross-cultural groups.
• Time and resources to manage both technical and accessibility tasks are limited.
• Handling conflict resolution without enough training and support.
• Knowledge of accessible technology for online meetings and document sharing is not common.

• Choose accessible meeting spaces
• Empower chairpersons and facilitators to manage conflict
• Host onboarding meetings before committee work begins
• Make online meetings accessible
• Manage access conflicts
• Provide chairpersons with practical support and tools for accessibility
• Provide ongoing accessibility and inclusion training
• Provide translation and interpretation for everyone
• Use inclusive approaches when making decisions

Limited meeting times and time zone exclusion

Meetings are often scheduled based on North American or European work hours. This limits participation and excludes voices from many regions. People in Asia, Oceania, Africa, and other places may be unable to attend. Differences in Daylight Savings Time can make this worse when meeting times shift and are inconsistent.

• Make online meetings accessible
• Manage access conflicts
• Plan meetings so people worldwide can join

Travel barriers for D/deaf and D/disabled people

Travel can be harder for D/deaf and D/disabled people, making it more expensive, stressful, and tiring. This can make it difficult to attend in-person meetings, and some members may not be able to participate or may attend under extra strain.

Common problems include:

• Support and guidance problems
  • No clear contact person to help with accessibility planning
  • No guidance on how to arrange accommodations for specific needs
  • Traveling without regular caregiver or personal support.
  • Higher travel stress, physical pain and fatigue because of limited support and long journeys
• Accessibility support issues
  • Not having access to personal equipment or a full technology setup while travelling
  • Risk of mobility equipment being damaged during travel
  • No access to sign language interpreters during travel
• Inaccessible spaces
  • Airports, trains, or taxis that are not fully accessible.
  • Limited information about accessibility in the host city
• Funding and expense problems
  • Extra costs and difficulty finding accessible transport, hotels, or flights
  • Paying out of pocket for mobility equipment, support workers, or special insurance

• Build in travel funding
• Help with travel planning
• Manage access conflicts