Google Meet Accessibility Guide for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Users
Google Meet provides real-time live captions, which automatically transcribe spoken words into text during a meeting. These captions are generated by Google's speech recognition technology and appear at the bottom of the screen.
To Enable Live Captions:
As a host or participant, you can enable live captions during a meeting.
Join a meeting in Google Meet.
Click on the three dots menu (More Options) at the bottom-right corner of the screen.
Select Turn on captions.
You can change the caption language by clicking on the language option and choosing your preferred language.
Once enabled, captions will appear at the bottom of the screen in real-time.
Customizing Captions:
Participants can toggle captions on or off at any time during the meeting. Captions are user-specific, meaning each participant can choose whether or not to see them.
Captions are not stored after the meeting ends, so they do not appear in recordings.
If your meeting includes a sign language interpreter, Google Meet allows participants to pin their video for better visibility.
Pinning an Interpreter’s Video:
As a participant, you can pin the interpreter’s video to keep it visible during the meeting.
Hover over the interpreter’s video feed.
Click the Pin icon (it looks like a pushpin) that appears in the top right of their video tile.
Pinning keeps the interpreter’s video larger and centered on your screen, regardless of who is speaking.
Spotlighting an Interpreter (for Hosts):
If you are the host, you can spotlight the interpreter’s video for all participants to see:
Hover over the interpreter’s video tile.
Click on the three dots on their video feed.
Select Spotlight to make their video prominent for everyone in the meeting.
While Google Meet allows you to record meetings, live captions are not included in the recorded video. However, the meeting can still be recorded with audio, and captions can be viewed during the live session.
Recording a Meeting:
As a host, you can start recording a meeting by:
Clicking the three dots menu in the meeting controls.
Selecting Record meeting.
Once you stop the recording, Google Meet will process the video and send a link to the recording via email to the meeting organizer.
The chat feature is another useful tool for deaf or hard-of-hearing participants who prefer text-based communication during a meeting.
Accessing the Chat:
Click on the Chat icon (a speech bubble) in the upper right-hand corner of the screen.
You can send text messages to the group or individual participants during the meeting.
For more advanced needs, participants can use third-party captioning services or apps that support real-time transcription. These services can work alongside Google Meet to provide additional accuracy and support for specific needs.
Adding a Third-Party Captioner:
A captioner can join the meeting and use the chat or a shared document to type live captions for participants.
Enable captions at the beginning of the meeting to ensure all participants who need them can easily follow the conversation.
Pin or spotlight interpreters if there are participants who rely on sign language interpretation.
Encourage use of the chat to ensure that participants who prefer written communication can ask questions or provide input.
Ensure that all shared materials, such as slides or documents, are accessible to all participants.
Keyboard Shortcuts: Google Meet supports keyboard shortcuts for easier navigation, which can be helpful for some users with mobility impairments.
Screen Reader Support: Google Meet is compatible with screen readers, including JAWS and NVDA, making the interface accessible for blind or low-vision users.
Google Meet Help Center (Captions): Using captions in Google Meet
Google Meet Accessibility: Google Meet Accessibility Features
Here is a helpful video tutorial for using Google Meet with accessibility features:
This video shows how to turn on and use live captions in Google Meet.