Although campus life has mostly returned to normal, the popularity of virtual meetings continues to soar. This is due to the convenience and timesaving features of Zoom and Microsoft Teams. When such tools are used, it’s important to keep accessibility and inclusivity in mind for attendees and anyone who may see recordings in the future.

The first thing you should consider is whether the meeting actually needs to be held. Many meetings are held “just for the sake of having a meeting,” even when most of the business could be handled by email. Email is often more accessible and is best if you need specific answers, only want feedback, or just need to distribute information.

Hybrid meetings are a combination of virtual and in-person attendance. While they sound like a good idea, such meetings often make it difficult to ensure inclusion. If this is your choice, make sure the quality of the audio is good. Repeat or rephrase any questions that may be asked in the physical room, describe any images, charts and graphs for those attending without video, and be sure accessible chat is available for any questions that may arise.

For virtual-only meetings, recording the event for replay is encouraged. Here are some things to remember in order to keep virtual meetings accessible:

• For PowerPoint and other types of presentations, ensure the font is easily readable and a minimum size of 18 points. The number of words per slide should be kept to a minimum with short line lengths. Space should also be reserved at the bottom of presentations for captioning.
  
  
• Save space at the bottom of slides for auto-generated captions is crucial for attendees who may be using the closed captioning feature. Make sure the contrast of captions and the slide background is adequate.
  
  
• Charts and graphics should be labeled, be easy to read, and have contrasting colors. They should be explained verbally during the meeting as well.
  
  
• Animations and visual transitions should be kept to a minimum.
  
  
• Try to allow only one speaker at a time.
  
  
• Use a dedicated microphone or a headset to reduce noise. Don’t rely on the computer microphone.
  
  
•  Meeting invitations should include the agenda and the accommodation statement and can also ask for any additional accommodation requests.
  
  
• Any materials distributed during or after the meeting — including notes, slide decks and recordings — should be in an accessible format.
  
  
• For meetings with 10 or more participants, have someone act as chat monitor to call out raised questions and share documents. The moderator can also field logistical questions about the meeting and possible accommodations when needed. Zoom Chat is now available for Zoom meetings.
  
  
• Recorded meetings should be closed captioned, preferably by a captioning service. Automated services should be checked for accuracy, including punctuation and capitalization, then modified to ensure correct content.