Planning
What kind of meeting or event are you planning? Will it be in-person, online, or a hybrid of both? What do you know about your audience? These questions need to be well thought out as part of the planning process. Watch the video below to understand the Benefits of Accessible Events.
Common barriers
In order to ensure that everyone can have an equal and accessible experience, potential barriers that individuals with disabilities may face need to be addressed proactively. The common barriers below outline areas of planning that need to occur before a meeting or event is available to participants.
Architectural
Buildings may have structural barriers depending on its design. Consider the following:
- Entrances or pathways may be inaccessible such as having stairs but no ramps or elevators.
- Poorly marked or unclear signage makes it challenging to navigate the event venue.
- Seating options and limited spaces for wheelchair users or other individuals with mobility disabilities.
- Designated area for participants or presenters to have access to a quiet room for sensory considerations.
Information and Communication
Participants need to be able to receive or convey information easily and quickly.
- Missing meeting agendas. Provide an agenda for the meeting(s) ahead of time so everyone knows what to expect and how to prepare. This helps everyone but is essential for people who are neurodiverse and have brains that process differently.
- Event materials need to have alternative formats, such as braille and large-print. Digital materials need to be created in an accessible format to work with assistive technologies.
- Registration forms, meeting time schedulers and event websites need to be accessible, especially for those with visual or certain cognitive disabilities, so they can register, select times, navigate, and get updates.
- Absence of sign language interpreters or captioning for participants that are d(D)eaf or hard of hearing.
- Language needs for anyone who has English as their second language.
Technological
Technology can prevent people from accessing information and participating equally in meetings and events.
- Assistive technologies may not work with event or meeting platforms, or equipment.
- Missing closed captions or screen reader compatibility for digital presentations or multimedia.
- Presentation slides, polls, collaboration tools or other visuals not created accessibly.
- Interactive elements such as touchscreens, kiosks or digital interactive displays that may not work for people with physical disabilities, people who are blind or low vision, or have difficulty with fine motor skills.
- If the meeting is hybrid, live streaming the event or speaker and ensuring the video does not cut out for online attendees, that speakers can be heard for online participants and questions in the room and questions from online participants are handled equally so all can engage, hear and be seen.
Training and Awareness
Not having training for presenters, hosts and other staff that will be working an event to understand and anticipate the needs of people with disabilities can cause issues.
- Failing to share what accessibility accommodations are available in person or online for the meeting/event, and providing a way for participants to identify a specific accommodation they need that is not immediately available.
- Using disability-sensitive language, such as person first and disability first communication to include whichever way a person might identify.
- Understanding that people with disabilities may use different technologies, tools, and service animals that are essential to their equitable experiences.
- Hosts and meeting organizers understand, can explain and assist with the accessibility features of the event technologies or meeting spaces.
- Organizers give accessibility requirements to presenters (and vendors if necessary) about creating and delivering accessible presentations or materials, and check before the event that these requirements have been followed.
Rice Approved Technologies
The Office of Information Technology provides access to technologies that can facilitate accessible meetings and events. The Digital Accessibility Team has reviewed these technologies and can be supported by OIT if any barriers or issues arise.
Scheduling or Registration
Depending on the email server you are on, you may have access to either Google Calendar or Outlook Calendar. Both products have accessibility features, and meeting invites sent through these platforms should have no issues.
If you need to ask participants when they are available, create a quick form using:
The use of Doodle to schedule is not approved or supported by Rice OIT. Doodle has documented accessibility issues and can exclude some disabled people from using your poll.
Google Forms or Microsoft Forms can also be used to schedule or register participants for events. Zoom also has the capability to schedule and customize a meeting with registration.
For more information on how to create accessible forms, see the Forms section of this site.
Video Meeting Platforms
Approved and supported video platforms:
More Resources