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Audience: Faculty, Staff, Students
Responsible Group: IT Training and Outreach
Overview
Meetings are a cornerstone of university life, whether in classrooms, in offices, or collaborative research. However, many meetings unintentionally exclude participants with disability or are unnecessarily difficult to access because of meeting location. Accessible meetings ensure that all participants, including individuals with disabilities, can fully participate and engage. Accessible meetings foster equity, strengthen communication, and reduce barriers for participants who may otherwise feel excluded. Creating accessible meetings supports equity, complies with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, and fosters an inclusive campus environment.
Tip: Accessibility is about considering the meeting participants and how they will engage and interact with the meeting contents and each other. Accessibility begins with thoughful planning.
Key Considerations
When staff and faculty adopt accessibility practices, such as providing captions, using microphones, distributing accessible documents, inclusive technolgy, or ensuring hybrid access, they create an environment where all voices can be heard. Below are actions or features to consider for before, during, and after a meeting.
- Before the meeting:
- Select accessible meeting spaces (ramps, elevators, accessible restrooms)
- Check room technology (microphones, projectors, assistive listening systems)
- Offer hybrid/remote options with captioning and transcription enabled
- Distribute accessible materials (documents, slides, agendas) in advance
- Distribute the agenda in advance so attendees can determine relevance and prepare accordingly
- Confirm with participants if accommodations (interpreters, CART captioning) are needed
- During the meeting:
- Use clear audio, adequate lighting, and minimize background noise
- Ensure everyone uses a microphone, even in small rooms
- Identify yourself before speaking; describe visuals and on-screen content
- Ask meeting participants to state their names each time they speak
- Allow additional time for questions and responses
- Allow and monitor chat and Q&A features to include participants who cannot speak
- In Teams or Zoom, enable live captions, transcription, and use “Raise Hand” for turn-taking
- Share content with alt text and accessible formatting
- After the meeting:
- Share recordings with captions and accessible notes or transcripts
- Follow up with materials in multiple formats if requested
Tip: Build accessibility into your meeting checklist. The most effective accessible meetings are those where accommodations are considered from the start, not added at the last minute.
Online Meetings
Accessible online meetings can be hosted on supported platforms such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom, or other university-approved services. Ensure you enable accessibility features (live captions, transcripts, and screen reader compatibility) on your chosen platform.
Training
General Accessibility
Microsoft Teams
Zoom
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