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Accessibility Guidelines: Online Calls

Accessibility Guidelines:
Online Calls


links:

Article: How to make virtual meetings more accessible

PDF Checklist

Molly O-A’s doc on accessibility norms

Prep before the call

Registration

  • Edit the Zoom event description to add the following paragraph into the description:
    • Accessibility information: we will be using automated Closed Captioning through Zoom. All images will be verbally described. 
  • Edit the Zoom Registration to add the following question:
    • Are there any other accessibility needs you would like to disclose?
  • CheckIf there is a place for people to fill in access needs on the answersregistration onform, Zoommake atsure leastsomeone oneis hourregularly monitoring the registrations. It is unfortunate when you don't check until right before the callevent byand clickingthen realize someone needed something that can no longer be attained in the namestime ofyou the individual responses.have.

Roles

  • If possible, findAssign an accessibility lead for the call.
  • Closed Caption Corrector?corrector-Follow Closed Captions and add any major corrections to the chat
  • Chat moderator - someone who can read the chat aloud at designated times (this works best if use of the chat is limited to intentional times and/or people who need to use it for access-related reasons)
  • Tech support - if there are multiple access point people, one can be the designated tech support. Some common requests are in How to be an Online Access Point Person

Materials

  • Make sure visuals have clear color contrast
  • Do not use any flashing or strobing animations
    • Share writewritten out image descriptions for images used (in addition to describing them verbally)
    • If possible, send out written materials ahead of time

During the call

Agenda

  • Lay out a clear agenda at the beginning of the call. 
  • At the beginning of the call, also clearly state accessibility norms around chat use, speaking, visual description

Chat Norms

  • Before you begin an event, establish with all organizers, speakers, and access support folks what your relationship is to the chat
    • Shifting norms around the chat to be a more intentional space can make it so that people who are only able to participate via the chat do not have their thoughts and questions buried
    • Perhaps have people only participate when prompted, and establish in the introductions that there will be times to participate in the chat, but to otherwise connect individually via DMs if necessary and keep side conversations to a minimum. Depending on the type of event, it might be relevant to differentiate and say that if the chat is the only way one can participate, to do so freely. Determine this on a case-by-case basis.
    • If the chat is disabled, let folks know where they can send their questions and thoughts if they aren’t able to share their points by unmuting
  • If possible, have an access point person to tend to the chat and voice the full chat so that everyone can have access to what's been written there (if this person cannot voice the chat, choose another person to be chat monitor, and the other person can do other access-related tasks!). Establish in the introductions that this will be the convention for the event.
  • The access point person can also be someone who collects and organizes questions during a presentation so that they don’t clog the chat. Depending on the setting for your event and what type of account you have, there may be a separate tab for Q&A, but if there is not, let folks know who to send their questions to directly, and that person can collect them through the event.

Speaking Norms

  • People should slow down their speech a little to accommodate live captioning and easy understanding.
  • Everyone should be muted when they’re not talking.
  • People should briefly describe themselves (name, pronouns, location, and a brief description of their video feed) when they start speaking.

Visual Description

  • Verbally describe any images as they are being presented (this is helpful for people on the phone, too!)

Breaks

  • For every call that is more than an hour, include at least one five-minute break. 


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