Accessible Meetings

Consider accessibility and accommodations from the moment you begin planning a meeting. Choose accessible spaces and tools, such as buildings with ramps and elevators and virtual meeting platforms that support accessible participation. For virtual meetings, use platforms that help your organization meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 requirements. Review the meeting type sections below to learn what to include.

Include information about requesting accommodations when:

• You know at least one or more people with disabilities may participate.
• You're sending the meeting invitation to a large group or an entire department or division.
• You're posting the meeting announcement in a public or semi-public forum.

Participants may request accommodations such as:

• ASL (American Sign Language) interpreter
• Audio describer
• CART (live stenotype transcription service) or captioning
• Post-event transcript (complete audio description including speaker identification)
• Dial-in by phone (access to meeting audio via telecommunications relay)

When announcing a meeting, specify any existing accommodations. For example:

We will provide CART for virtual attendees and ASL interpreters on site. If you require other accommodations, please contact [name/contact info] by [date].

When providing CART via an external link (separate from the meeting platform's built-in captioning display), include the link to the CART file in the meeting invitation. Don't make attendees request the link after they join the meeting.

If you do not plan to offer on-site accommodations, then provide contact information and a deadline for participants to request them. For example:

If you require an accommodation, please contact [name/contact info] by [date].

When you receive an accommodation request, confirm what the participant needs for the meeting format and ask any questions necessary to arrange the service. Ask about the requested accommodation—not the person's disability.

For state employees: MMB has a master contract for accommodation services, such as ASL interpreters and CART. Visit the Office of Accessibility extranet Accessible Meetings page for more details.

If an attendee has requested CART, do not offer automated captions as an option. Schedule the CART writer. Depending on the requestor’s preferences, you can either provide the CART via an external link (separate from the meeting platform) or integrated into the virtual conferencing technology's caption display. That capability varies by provider. Always test in advance.

Inform the CART provider in advance if you need to provide CART support for both the on-site and the virtual participants. They can prepare to connect to both an in-room display and the virtual feed, if needed.

Note: If the writer is on site, they may also require a reliable network jack that enables them to stream the data. That jack needs to allow guest users to transmit out of the network. Consult the agency's facilities and IT network teams for more information.

ASL interpreting functionalities vary by platform providers and within each platform's meeting types. For example, Microsoft's Teams Town Hall has a different setup for its video feeds, video pinning, and functionality of an individual's ASL interpreter feature than Teams' regular Meetings. Practice in the meeting platform in the exact meeting type to familiarize the meeting organizers and hosts with the planned features.

For a variety of reasons, some participants may need to join by phone—for example, to use a relay service. Make sure your conferencing platform provides an alternative way to join by dialing in.

Start the meeting with basic inclusion information such as:

• If the meeting will be recorded (this should have been included in advance of the meeting in the invite or announcement; this step is meant as a reminder).
• How to access the CART and/or captions.
• Who the interpreters are and how to find their videos.
• You can recommend the interpreters join the meeting with “ASL Interpreter” in front of their name.
• If the slides are interactive, point that out.
• Where to find slides and/or recording after the event.

Standard best practices include:

• Perform introductions. Introduce the key speakers. If the group is small enough, include participants.
• Be a facilitator. Encourage participation. Ask for comments and input.
• Take turns. If multiple hands go up, announce the speaker order. For example, the host says “We have three hands up. First Sarah, then Ahmed, then Shawn.”
• Describe visual content. When describing slides or other visual content, focus on meaning or action.
• If presenting with slides, provide accessible PDF copies in advance. Some participants benefit from having a copy to preview or to use to take notes.

For meetings with virtual participants:

• Introduce yourself each time you speak. Ensure each speaker self-identifies before speaking (e.g., "This is Diane...").
• Repeat or summarize. When answering questions, repeat or summarize the question before answering so all participants better understand the answer.
• Engage virtual participants. Ask if anyone on the call has a question or comment, then pause for at least 15-30 seconds to allow for a response.

Remember, these techniques help everyone, especially virtual attendees.

• Creating Accessible Presentations from the Department of Education (PDF) (emphasis on Google Slides).
• Office of Accessibility's Accessible PowerPoint Presentations web page.
• WebAIM guidelines to help you prepare and present accessible slides.