As the prevalence of remote learning in education increases, virtual meetings play a vital role in facilitating academic and professional communication. Individuals with disabilities may encounter accessibility challenges when engaging in these digital platform-based virtual meetings. Zoom offers a range of features designed to enhance accessibility, ensuring full participation for medical students and professionals with diverse needs.
Closed captioning
Zoom provides closed captioning for meetings, offering valuable assistance to individuals with hearing impairment. The captioning option allows for both automated captioning and manual captioning by a live captioner, catering to various preferences. Additionally, users have the flexibility to adjust the size of the closed captioning text for improved readability.
Audio transcription for cloud recordings
Besides closed captioning, Zoom offers an audio transcription feature that automatically transcribes the audio of a recorded meeting or webinar to the cloud. There is the option to display the transcript text within the video itself, resembling a closed caption display. When sharing a cloud recording, the ability to enable or disable whether viewers can see the transcript is available. The transcripts generated through this process will not be completely accurate, but the video owner can correct them for accuracy within the Zoom Cloud interface. Transcripts may be useful for a variety of viewers.
Sign language interpretation
The sign language interpretation view feature allows hosts to assign users as sign language interpreters, either when scheduling a meeting or webinar or during the session. When the meeting or webinar starts, the host must start the interpretation feature, which allows the sign language interpreters to be shown in dedicated video channels that are pinned and spotlighted, identifying the specific type of sign language they are interpreting. Participants can then select which sign language video channel they would like to view and resize or relocate the video window as needed. (Note: Zoom does not provide sign language interpreters for meetings and webinars. Hosts must provide and assign users as sign language interpreters.)
Keyboard shortcuts
Keyboard shortcuts in Zoom enable navigation through settings without relying on a mouse, providing increased accessibility for individuals with motor disabilities.
Display settings
Zoom offers the capability to modify chat and caption font sizes for individuals with visual impairments, accessible through client Accessibility settings.
Dark mode
The dark mode feature alters Zoom's interface background to black, offering assistance to users with visual impairments or sensitivity to bright light.