Let’s talk ACCESSIBILITY!
Did you know many neurodivergent people prefer captions on movies and shows? This has nothing to do with their actual hearing. It has to do with their auditory processing. It can be helpful in tracking the story and picking up valuable details. How can we bring this same accessibility to the office? Accessible video conferencing is a great place to start!
Captions on Video Conferencing Tools
Many conferencing tools have built-in caption options these days. As the meeting host, you may need to activate this. Other times, each participant might have an ability to turn it on. Although live captioning can sometimes have a minor delay, this can be helpful to follow along with the speaker.
AI Note Taking Tools
There are also a handful of plug-ins available for the popular platforms. If your organization uses Zoom, there may be options to additionally leverage Otter, Fathom, or another notetaking app. Some of these even pull out action items, unanswered questions, and summarize the meeting!
This isn’t perfect though. AI will get names and details wrong, so reviewing the notes immediately after the meeting can help to catch any errors. Check with your organization to see if these apps are allowed on your systems.
So, what’s next?
Accessibility is all about options and making things work for the people you’re communicating with. In addition to captions, other accessibility considerations might be:
- Being aware of the colors/contrast used on your slides/videos (see Section 508 Compliance)
- Using multiples channels for asking questions (i.e., verbally and typed in chat)
- Understanding when people need a break from video now and again
If using an available feature doesn’t hinder your experience AND it has the chance to improve someone else’s experience, it should be an easy choice to make!
MPG Can Help
What does accessible and inclusive workplace mean to you? If you are interested in learning more about ADHD-friendly or neuro-inclusive workplaces, MPG can help. Subscribe to our newsletter, or reach out regarding coaching and workshops!
