In-Person Meetings

(1) Before the meeting, make an announcement asking if anyone needs particular accomdations.
(2) Make sure the seating accomdations are proper for those present. For example, is there space available at the table for wheelchair-users? Are chairs an appropiate height or size?
(3) Keep meetings scent-free by default for those with sensory issues.
(4) If a person is using a wheelchair, try to sit down and communicate at eye level. Straining your neck to look up can be very uncomfortable.

Online Meetings

(1) Announce yourself before speaking. Identifying who is talking over zoom can be tricky for clients or coworkers with low vision. For example, say "This is Charlene speaking."
(2) Make transcripts available for all meetings.
(3) Mute all participants on entry-- too much background noise can be distracting.
(4) Make sure all videos are captioned, especially when sharing your screen.
(5) Shared screens won't work with screenreaders. Make sure to share links to websites or forms with your client before you share your screen so they can view the page before you demonstrate.
(6) Limit the chat for larger groups-- screenreaders will read out every comment. You really don't want a million "Hi this is [x] from [y]!" comments being blasted in your ear while trying to listen to the presenter.
(7) If possible, ask afterwards what platforms your client likes better. Is zoom more accesible for their needs then Teams?
(8) If using an interpreter, make sure to "spotlight" or "pin" them so they stay visible on the screen.
(9) If working with a person who primarily uses ASL, prioritize getting an interpreter rather than relying on transcripts. ASL is grammatically distinct from written English, and thus written English can be difficult for some ASL users to follow.

(1) When speaking, look at Deaf/HOH person directly. Try not to look at Interpreter too much-- they are just a middleman.
(2) Speak clearly with regular pauses. Don't rush through your words or mumble.
(3) If deposing a Deaf/HOH person who uses an interpreter, schedule 2x the amount of time you normally would. Don't rush the interpretation process.
(4) Break complex questions into simpler ones for ease of interpretation.

(1) If sharing electronic documents, make sure they are screenreader compatible. Don't use scanned pdfs!
(2) Make print large (20+ pt), bold, and sans serif.
(3) Have all documents prepared in plain text files (txt or docx should be fine).
(4) Make sure all images have alt-text.