An IDRC Project An Inclusive Design Research Centre Project

Quick Actions

  • Set the video meeting language (Zoom/Teams/Webex) to the language people have agreed to speak. This helps automatic captions work better.
  • Test the caption settings before the meeting.
  • Ask everyone to set their caption language correctly.
  • Start the meeting by checking that captions are on and set to the right language.
  • If more than one language will be used, tell people before the meeting.
  • For important meetings, use a human captioner or note taker, not only automatic captions.
  • Ask people to speak clearly and not too fast.
  • Put key words, names, and links in the chat.
  • Save and share the transcript after the meeting.

Barriers these actions address

Inaccessible hybrid meetings

Why is this a problem?

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.

Ways to address the barrier

  • Choose accessible meeting spaces
  • Make remote/virtual/online meetings accessible
  • Plan meetings so people worldwide can join
  • Provide translation and interpretation for everyone
  • Set meeting language captions correctly
  • Use accessible hybrid meeting practices

Inaccessible virtual meetings

Why is this a problem?

Virtual meetings can create barriers if they are not planned with accessibility in mind. This makes it difficult for everyone to participate. A virtual meeting will not be able to meet all accessibility needs, but they should be set up to address the accessibility needs of the people participating.

Common problems include:

  • Materials not shared before the meeting so people have time to prepare.
  • Poor sound or no microphones.
  • No video of the speakers or poor lighting which makes lip reading impossible.
  • Slides or images not described aloud.
  • Small or hard-to-read text.
  • No captions, or captions that are wrong.
  • No sign language/interpretation.
  • No chat monitoring.
  • Chat used in such a way that it interrupts screen readers, forcing people who use screen readers to either ignore the chat or miss the content in the main meeting.
  • Documents that don’t work with screen readers or other assistive technologies.
  • Fast-paced live editing, which is not clearly described as it is happening.
  • Online tools like polls, whiteboards or chat services that are hard to use or don’t work with assistive technologies
  • Internet or platform problems, or incompatibility with assistive technologies

Ways to address the barrier

  • Check and improve accessibility
  • Make remote/virtual/online meetings accessible
  • Plan meetings so people worldwide can join
  • Set meeting language captions correctly