Welcome back to Ability Central’s “Accessibility 101” series, where our team identifies and offers solutions to the modern workforce’s most common accessibility pitfalls.
Since the shift to digital workspaces, how many of your work meetings now take place over virtual platforms like Zoom, Google Meet, or Microsoft Teams?
The invention of these tools has made it easier for remote employees and team members with disabilities to connect and collaborate. Even better, many virtual meeting platforms offer built-in accessibility features that can be toggled on or off to improve communication. However, these features are never perfect, and it takes knowledge and practice to make virtual meetings fully accessible.
In this article, Ability Central takes you through all the accessibility topics you should consider while planning a virtual meeting.
Ask in Advance About Accommodations
There is no “one size fits all” approach to workplace accommodations. For virtual meetings, a solution that works for one team member may not work for another. With that in mind, it’s important to communicate with your team well in advance to discuss accommodation options.
In all communications leading up to the online event, make it clear not only which conferencing platform you’ll be using but also what accommodations will be available. Offer clear instructions for who to contact to make accommodations requests.
Opening the accommodation conversation yourself provides space for team members with disabilities to communicate their needs. Following through with those accommodations establishes equity for disabled individuals during online events.
What’s more, people’s accessibility needs may change over time. Open communication and curiosity allow you and your team members to foster safe, inclusive spaces for communication.
Start by asking questions like:
What’s the best format to receive information before the meeting takes place?
Is there a preferred way to schedule meetings, such as via email or a calendar app?
Does anyone want access to closed captions or a recording of the meeting?
Are communication channels open for people to request accommodations?
Be open with your intentions to make the session accessible with language like, “If anyone needs an interpreter, CART, or any other accommodations to participate, please contact XXX, and we'd be happy to initiate your request.”
Don’t simply ask what someone needs: accept and implement feedback, keeping track of best practices or individual preferences to optimize the online meeting process for everyone.
Common Accommodation Requests for Virtual Meetings
Technology improvements allow us to offer common accommodations in virtual meetings that take only a few steps to put in place. Here are some of the most frequently used videoconferencing accessibility options:
Auto-Captions vs. Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART)
Many videoconferencing services, including Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams, now offer auto-generated captioning features (a.k.a. “auto-captions”). While these features are convenient, they are often riddled with errors and miss out on other sounds or auditory cues that contribute to a full environmental experience.
Utilizing communication access real-time translation (CART) services helps to ensure the fullest level of access for people who are Deaf, are hard of hearing, have speech disabilities, or may benefit from reading a transcription of the meeting. With CART services, a trained stenographer or operator writes out the exact words spoken in real time, often more accurately than auto-captioning software.
How to Set Up CART/Manual Captions
CART is strongly preferred over automated closed captioning for the sake of clarity and understanding. At this time, CART services are only available via Zoom and require setup with a third-party vendor or a qualified operator among your participants to manually type the captions.
Depending on the type of CART service you choose to use, you can either assign captioning duties to one of your Zoom participants or enable integration with a third-party CART vendor.
Enable Manual Captions Options Before Your Meeting
Make sure the Zoom application is up to date for the meeting host and all participants, especially if you’re working with a third-party vendor. To enable manual captions:
1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal as an admin with the privilege to edit account settings.
2. In the navigation menu, click Account Management then Account Settings.
3. Click the Meeting tab.
4. Under In Meeting (Advanced), click the Manual captions toggle to enable or disable it.
5. If a verification dialog appears, click Enable or Disable to verify the change.
6. (Optional) If you want to prevent all users in the account from changing this setting, click the lock icon, and then click Lock to confirm the setting.
7. (Optional) Select the check boxes to enable additional features, then click Save:
1. Allow host to type or assign a participant to type
2. Allow use of caption API Token to integrate with 3rd-party Closed Captioning services
Start Manual Captioning During Your Meeting
To turn on CART/manual captioning:
1. Start the Zoom meeting or webinar that you are hosting.
2. In the meeting controls toolbar, next to the Show Captions icon (the letters “cc” in a grey rectangle), click the up arrow icon.
3. Under Host controls, click Set up manual captioner.
4. Under Enable manual captioner, choose On.
5. Select one of the following options:
1. Assign a participant to type: Assigns a participant to type closed captions during the meeting. Hover over the name of the participant you want to type closed captions, then click More…, followed by Assign to type Closed Caption. The selected person will receive a notification in their meeting controls and can open the closed captioning text box by clicking the up arrow icon, followed by Show caption window.
2. I will type: Opens the closed captioning window for you to manually type closed captions.
3. Copy the API token: Copy the URL that you can provide to a third-party closed captioning service to integrate the service with your meeting.
4. Note: These options are greyed out if Enable manual captioner is disabled above.
How to use manual captions in breakout rooms
After you start breakout room sessions, participants can click Show Captions (CC) in the meeting controls toolbar to view closed captions. If you're the meeting host, we recommend using a third-party closed captioning service if you want closed captions in breakout rooms.
If you want a participant to type closed captions, make sure you assign them permission to type closed caption before starting the breakout room sessions.
Note: Only one participant can be assigned to type closed captions in a meeting; thus, it is only possible to have one breakout session with closed captioning.
How to Set Up Autogenerated Closed Captioning
When CART services are not available, autogenerated captions can be a useful tool. However, it’s important to note that auto-captioning software is not perfect and may come with errors. If you choose to use auto-captioning during your meetings, be sure to review the final transcript for errors before sharing the recorded meeting video with your team members.
On Zoom
To enable Closed captioning for a group of users:
Sign into the Zoom web portal as an admin with the privilege to edit groups.
In the navigation menu, click User Management, then Group Management.
Click the applicable group name from the list.
Click the Meeting tab.
Under In Meeting (Advanced), click the Closed captioning toggle to enable or disable it.
If a verification dialog displays, click Enable or Disable to verify the change.
Note: If the option is grayed out, it has been locked at the account level and needs to be changed at that level.
(Optional) If you want to make this setting mandatory for all users in the group, click the lock icon, and then click Lock to confirm the setting.
On Google Meet
Google Meet offers auto-generated closed captioning, but it must be enabled during the meeting. To enable closed captioning:
Log into Google Meet via your web browser, computer app, or phone app.
Join a meeting.
Click the closed captioning symbol (the letters “CC” inside a box) at the bottom of the screen.
To turn off closed captioning, click the symbol again.
On Microsoft Teams
Teams offers a free built-in captioning service that can be turned on during meetings. To enable closed captioning in Teams:
Log into Teams from your web browser, computer app, or phone app.
Join a meeting.
Select the “More actions” button (which also appears as “…”).
Select “Turn on Live Captions” (which also appears as the letters “CC” inside a box). A notification will appear showing the automatically assigned language. Live captions then appear toward the bottom of your screen and are only visible to you.
At any time, select “More Actions” and “Turn off Live Captions” to switch off this setting.
Teams also offers automated transcription services based on live-generated captions in recorded meetings. To create a meeting transcript, the meeting host or the person who started the recording must have this setting enabled in their account before the meeting starts. To do this:
Log into Teams from your web browser, computer app, or phone app.
Log into the Teams admin center. If you don’t have access to this, ask someone on your team who does, or request admin access for your own account.
In the Teams admin settings, click on “Meetings,” then “Meeting policies.”
Turn on the “Transcription” setting.
When the meeting begins, double check that the Live Captions are working as expected based on the previous section.
How to Utilize Sign Language Interpreters
Another common accommodation for Deaf or hard of hearing team members is working with a qualified sign language interpreter.
An interpreter can dramatically improve communication and information access for your team members, providing not only the words spoken during the meeting, but also the sounds and auditory cues one cannot get from closed captioning. Interpreters will also work with Deaf team members to ensure they are being heard.
Depending on the length of your meeting, you may need more than one interpreter to trade off and facilitate breaks.
We're Just Getting Started...
For more information about online meetings, view the other articles in this Accessibility 101 collection:
How to Make Online Meetings Accessible DURING the Session: Zoom, Google Meet, and Teams
How to Make Online Meetings Accessible AFTER the Session: Zoom, Google Meet, and Teams
To view the other articles in our Accessibility 101 series, see:
Accessibility 101: How to Make Virtual Meetings Accessible with Zoom, Teams, and Google Meet
Accessibility 101: How to Make In-Person Meetings Accessible
Accessibility 101: How to Make Video Presentations Accessible
Additional Information
The content provided in this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for legal, medical, or other professional advice. While we strive to provide accurate and up-to-date resources, some information may become outdated or incomplete. Always consult with your provider about personal medical concerns.
