Quick Actions
- Offer translation and sign language interpretation support from the start and make it normal for everyone to use.
- Use the automated transcript feature in video conferencing applications and save transcripts to share after the meeting. Check the saved transcripts for any errors or discrepancies after each meeting.
- Test whether transcripts are working in advance.
- Rotate meeting languages based on members’ needs, and provide interpretation when needed.
- Support smaller working groups in members’ native languages so they can participate more fully.
- Give extra time for discussions and allow follow-up later, especially in international groups.
More Information
- Guide to Planning Inclusive Meetings (Government of Canada) is a good resource for advising participants in advance about interpretation and other services, and for planning interpretation breaks.
- Guidelines to Accessible and Inclusive Virtual Meetings talks about captions, sign language or language interpretation, bilingual materials, dry runs, checking transcripts, and giving interpreters time to prepare.
- Inclusive Practices (Sign Language Linguistics Society) is a good resource for making interpretation part of meeting design from the start, especially for international and multilingual events.
Examples
- Mexico – Dirección General de Normas (DGN) conducts meetings in Spanish and provides bilingual documentation for global collaboration. Interpreters and translated summaries ensure that participants can contribute in Spanish and have their ideas represented.
- China – Standardization Administration of China (SAC) works in Mandarin and only translates documents into English after domestic consensus, allowing deeper local participation before global collaboration.
Related Actions
- Make communications multi-modal and consistent
- Check and improve accessibility
- Make online meetings accessible
- Make hybrid meetings accessible
- Choose accessible meeting spaces