6 Tips for More Accessible Meetings

By
Daniel Htut
February 12, 2024

Meetings are a key part of collaboration and participation for any team or organization. However, they can present challenges for individuals with disabilities or accessibility needs if proper accommodations and universal design principles are not implemented. Making meetings more accessible should be a priority for any business or group that values inclusion, engagement and full contribution from all members.  

There are many reasons why meeting accessibility matters:

  • It allows those with disabilities to participate fully. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind, or have other disabilities can actively join in meetings when accessibility best practices are followed. This leads to more diverse perspectives being shared.
  • It demonstrates a commitment to inclusion. By proactively addressing accessibility, an organization shows that it values equity and involvement. This helps build a culture where disabled individuals feel welcomed and included.
  • It's legally mandated. Laws like the ADA in the US require businesses and organizations to provide reasonable accommodations. Making meetings accessible is a key part of compliance.
  • It benefits everyone. Accessible meeting practices make it easier for all participants to engage. Closed captions, clear visuals, multiple options to join, and good meeting facilitation are helpful to all attendees.

Provide Captions

Captions are essential for people who are deaf or hard of hearing to follow along during meetings. By providing captions, you ensure that these attendees can fully participate.

There are a few options to supply captions:

  • Hire a professional captioning service. These services provide real-time captioning by a trained professional. While the most accurate option, it can also be the most expensive.
  • Use captioning software. Some video conferencing platforms like Zoom allow you to enable automated captions. The captions are generated by AI in real-time. Accuracy varies, but it's a budget-friendly option.
  • Ask someone to type captions. You can designate an attendee to type live captions. This takes some skill to keep up, but works for smaller meetings if no other option is available.
  • Use a speech-to-text app. Apps like Otter.ai allow you to record meetings and automatically generate captions. The transcripts can then be shared. Quality depends on audio clarity.

Whichever method you choose, letting attendees know captions will be provided gives them confidence in attending. Make sure to test the technology and quality beforehand. Proper set up results in an inclusive environment where everyone can engage.

Use Clear Fonts

When preparing printed meeting materials or presentations, avoid stylized fonts and instead opt for easy-to-read sans serif fonts like Arial or Helvetica. The lack of extra flourishes on sans serif fonts can make them easier to decipher for those who have visual impairments like dyslexia. Avoid light fonts, as well as font sizes below 12 point, as these can prove challenging for some to read.

For digital presentations and materials, ensure font colors have enough contrast from background colors. Dark text on a light background provides the most accessible contrast. Also check that your choice of colors does not cause issues for those who are color blind. Test your materials by printing in grayscale to identify any areas where contrast needs to be improved.

Offer Multiple Ways to Join

When organizing a meeting, it's important to provide options for how people can participate. Don't assume that everyone will be able to join in person or via video call. Offer at least 3 ways for people to join:

  • In person: For those who are located nearby or able to travel to the meeting location. Make sure the venue is accessible.
  • Video call: Set up a video conferencing link through a platform like Zoom or Webex. This allows remote participants to see and hear each other.
  • Phone call: Have a dial-in number and access code available so that people can call in. This is essential for those who may not have stable internet access.

Providing multiple joining options makes your meeting more accessible and inclusive. It empowers attendees to choose what works best for their needs and circumstances. Don't make assumptions - allow flexibility.

Send Materials in Advance

Sending meeting materials in advance allows attendees to review them beforehand. This is especially helpful for people with disabilities that may need more time to process information.

Some tips for sharing materials early:

  • Send any slides, agendas, reports, or other documents at least 2 days before the meeting. This gives attendees time to review them.
  • For long or complex materials, allow even more lead time - up to a week in advance if possible.
  • Provide materials in multiple accessible formats like plain text, HTML, Braille, audio, etc. Allow attendees to request their preferred format.
  • Include captions or transcripts for any video or audio materials.
  • Offer a way for attendees to request accommodations, alternate formats, or ask questions about the agenda and materials. Be ready to provide individual assistance.
  • Remind attendees before the meeting that materials were sent and encourage them to read/review them.
  • At the start of the meeting, briefly summarize the agenda and previously sent materials. Don't assume everyone was able to review them beforehand.
  • Allow extra time for questions about the materials during the meeting.

Providing materials well in advance allows for a more inclusive, productive meeting where all attendees can properly prepare. Following accessibility best practices removes participation barriers.

Describe Visuals

To make meetings more accessible for attendees who are blind or have low vision, make sure to describe any visual content. For presentations or documents, provide detailed descriptions of images, charts, and graphs. Read aloud image captions or long descriptions of visuals to ensure they make sense when heard rather than seen.

For live meetings, if you're using a whiteboard or showing objects, describe them in detail as you present. Say things like "On the whiteboard I've drawn a timeline showing our product launch plan. At the top it says 'Product Launch Timeline' in a large blue font. Below that there are 5 rows for each stage..." Describing visuals helps paint the picture for those who can't fully see them.

You can also ask attendees ahead of time if they need visuals described and how much detail is helpful. Some may want key descriptions, while others need very intricate details to fully understand visual information. Making meetings accessible means understanding various accessibility needs and being proactive in addressing them. Detailed visual descriptions allow everyone to get the most from meetings.

Check for Understanding

It's important to allow opportunities for people to ask questions or indicate when they need clarification during meetings. Consider periodically stopping during presentations or discussions and asking if anyone needs anything repeated or rephrased. You can also encourage attendees to use the chat, send a private message, or use hand raise features on video platforms.

Some other tips:

  • Repeat or rephrase complex information and summarize key points.
  • Pause frequently during presentations to allow people time to process information.  
  • Ask targeted questions to attendees to gauge comprehension.
  • Be observant of reactions and check in if you notice signs of confusion.
  • Politely restate any questions asked before answering to ensure everyone understands.  
  • Set expectations that questions are welcome and encouraged at any time.
  • If needed, offer live closed captioning or note taking services.  
  • Follow up after the meeting with a summary and open invitation for final questions.

Actively checking for understanding helps create an inclusive environment where people feel comfortable asking for clarification. Build in natural opportunities for questions and feedback to keep all attendees on the same page.

Offer Breaks

Taking breaks during meetings is an important accessibility practice. Sitting for long periods can be challenging for some individuals with disabilities or health conditions. Scheduling regular 5-10 minute breaks gives people a chance to stand up, stretch, use the restroom, rest their eyes, etc.

When planning the agenda, build in natural break points every 60-90 minutes. You can also encourage attendees to take a break whenever needed. Make sure to announce when breaks will happen so people can plan ahead.

Providing flexibility shows you care about attendees' wellbeing. No one should feel forced to sit still for hours at a time. Breaks allow people to refocus and participate more fully. They also create opportunities for informal connection and networking.  

With remote meetings, video call fatigue is real. Staring at the screen is tiring for many. Regular breaks let people step away and reset. You may wish to remind attendees to move during the breaks – stretch, grab some water, etc.

When accessible break times are offered, meetings become more welcoming to all. People can take part knowing their needs are supported. This simple adjustment enables better concentration, engagement and retention.

Test Technology

When hosting virtual meetings, it's important to test the technology ahead of time to ensure it works properly with screen readers, magnifiers, and other accessibility features. Here are some tips:

  • If using a new platform, have someone who uses assistive technology join a test meeting. Ask them to check if they can navigate easily, adjust fonts/colors, use screen reader features, etc.
  • Review screen reader compatibility on platforms you plan to use. Some work better than others. You may need to provide instructions to optimize settings.
  • Confirm remote captioning services integrate well. Test with the service prior to the actual meeting.
  • For video, verify captions can be turned on/off. Make sure fonts are a readable size.
  • If sharing visuals, check they are accessible. Use descriptive alt text, ensure color contrast passes standards.
  • For phone access, test if menus and audio prompts are clear and usable.

Taking time to test ahead of the meeting will help identify and resolve any issues in advance. A bit of preparation goes a long way in ensuring accessibility for all attendees. With some forethought, virtual meetings can be inclusive experiences.

Conclusion

In 2023, meetings should aim to be inclusive and accessible for all attendees. By providing captions, using clear fonts, offering multiple ways to join, sending materials in advance, describing visuals, checking for understanding, offering breaks, and testing technology, meeting organizers can create a more accessible environment.

The key points covered were:

  • Use captioning services to make presentations and discussions accessible to those who are deaf or hard of hearing.
  • Choose sans-serif fonts in an appropriate size so text is readable for all. Avoid fancy fonts that are difficult to read.
  • Give attendees options to join via video, phone, or chat so people can participate in the way that works best for them.
  • Send meeting agendas, documents, and presentations to attendees ahead of time so they can review and prepare. This helps attendees access information in their preferred format.
  • Verbally describe any visuals, graphs, or slides so everyone understands the content, not just those who can see it.  
  • Check for understanding by summarizing key points and asking if anyone has questions. Don't assume everyone is following along.
  • Build in breaks every 60-90 minutes so attendees can stretch, rest their eyes, or step away from the screen.
  • Test all technology and connections in advance to minimize issues during the actual meeting.

By being proactive and intentional with accessibility, meetings can engage more attendees and enable equal participation for all. What steps will you take in 2023 to make your meetings more inclusive?

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