Online meetings, webinars and classes bring together a variety of people with different access needs. Consider that some of your audience may have trouble seeing, hearing, moving, speaking, or understanding.

Creating a habit of planning for accessible events is a good practice. You may not have folks in every meeting or class who require a specific kind of accessibility. Planning for accessibility will make for a better meeting for everyone. It will also mean that when an attendee or student has an access need, you'll be comfortable providing it. You won't always know that someone in your meeting or audience has a disability or access need. People may also have access needs you didn’t think of, or that aren’t covered in this resource.

Not every item below will apply to every event. Consider this guide a starting place for more accessible meetings and events.

When Planning your Event

Ensure that:

  • Events are scheduled in advance
    • ASL interpretation and CART take time to set up. This means your event should be shared far enough in advance to give attendees time to let you know they may need accommodations, and then for you to procure them. In many cases, try to advertise at least 5 weeks before the event occurs.
    • There is enough time for travel or other needs between sessions or meetings
  • Event advertisements include all information in text. Colorful images can be eye-catching, but they shouldn’t be the only way you share information about your event.
  • Meeting, class or event description includes clear instructions and contact information for attendees to request accommodations or ask accessibility related questions.
    • Identified contact is aware they are listed for this purpose and prepared to coordinate additional accommodations such as ASL interpretation, CART, etc.
    • If attendees must register for an event, you can ask them to identify accessibility needs. Otherwise, designate a contact and deadline for accommodations. Here’s some sample language:
      • Please send any and all requests for reasonable accommodations to name at email-address@domain.edu before Friday, June 1, 2024. 
  • Meeting, class or event description lists access supports that will be included. This might include automatic captions, shared outlines, slides or other supportive documents.
  • Software is accessible.
  • a moderator is designated, when appropriate
  • Dial-in options are enabled when available.
  • Slides and other documents are accessible.
  • Slides and other supporting documents are shared before the session begins
  • a contact is designated for troubleshooting access to and during the meeting, class or event.
    • Preferably this includes a contact method external to the event software, like email.
  • There are multiple options for engagement when asking participants to engage actively.

ASL

If your session has a captioner or interpreter, meet with them before the session to explain acronyms, specialized terms, or names that you will use in the session. If you have an outline or script, share it with them. 

When Presenting your Event

Ensure that:

  • Any available accessibility features are working as expected
    • Some auto caption features must be enabled. Familiarize yourself with how the auto-captions are enabled, or if users must enable it themselves.
  • Attendees or students are advised verbally and in chat at the start of a meeting, class or event about available accessibility features.
  • Attendees or students are invited to raise access concerns during the event. Make sure to explain how to do so.
  • Presenters identify themselves each time they begin speaking
    • If participants speak, ask them to identify themselves as well.
  • Host and speaker videos are well lit and have simple, contrasting backgrounds
    • If virtual backgrounds are used, they do not include animation
  • Chat is used intentionally. In some meeting software, including Zoom, screen readers read chat comments aloud. This is distracting and can make it difficult to hear presenters depending on the size of your meeting, class or event.
    • Plan to use chat feature for important information only
    • Designate a person participants can privately message. This person can read chats aloud and keep a running list of URLs or resources shared, then distribute after the session
  • Participant entry chimes are disabled
  • Background noise is reduced.
    • Mute participants who are unmuted with loud background noises
    • Ask presenters to use background noise suppression if appropriate
  • Presenters avoid jargon and speak slowly and plainly when possible.
  • Only one person speaks at a time
  • Presenters verbally describe meaningful visual content on slides or shared screens.
    • assume you have at least one attendee who has called in and can’t see your slides. What do they need to know about your visuals?
    • If not shared before the session, slides and content shared through screen share are provided to attendees in chat and after the session

Having cameras on can make communicating easier for folks who read lips. It can also be difficult for people who are struggling with their mental health, or who are low on energy to be on camera. For these reasons, there is no definitive guidance on if video should always be on or off. Instead, it will depend on the size and nature of your class, meeting or event.

It is often appropriate to encourage attendees to be on camera if they feel up to it.  Introducing the topic may encourage some folks to turn on their cameras, but creates space for folks to remain off camera if they need to.

ASL Interpretation

  • Speakers talk slowly and clearly
  • Speakers pause to allow ASL interpreters to alternate, if more than one ASL interpreter is present
  • ASL interpreter videos are pinned
  • If ASL interpreters ask a question on behalf of a participant, presenters talk to the participant, not the interpreter

When Preserving your Event

If you share resources after the event has concluded, ensure they are accessible. This includes:

  • Slides
  • supplemental information
  • recordings

Accessibility standards are higher for prerecorded video than they are for live video and meetings. You’ll need to correct automatic captions or caption recordings.