Zoom

Zoom Accessibility Guide for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Users

Zoom offers both manual closed captioning and live transcription (automatically generated subtitles) during meetings.

Enabling Closed Captions:

For Meeting Hosts:
1. Log in to your Zoom account on the web.
2. Go to Settings > In Meeting (Advanced).
3. Enable the option for Closed Captioning.
4. Check the box for Enable live transcription service to show transcript on the side panel in-meeting.
5. During the meeting, click on the CC (Closed Captions) button in the meeting controls to assign someone to type captions or to enable live transcription.
For Participants:
1. Once the host has enabled captions, click the CC button in your meeting controls.
2. Select View Subtitles to see closed captions in the meeting.
3. You can also click View Full Transcript to see a running transcript of the meeting.

Customizing Captions:

You can customize how captions appear on your screen by:
1. Clicking the CC button and selecting Subtitle Settings.
2. Adjust the size of the captions by moving the slider under Closed Caption in the Accessibility tab.

If your meeting requires a sign language interpreter, Zoom allows you to spotlight or pin their video for easy visibility.

Pinning an Interpreter:

As a participant, you can pin the interpreter’s video to keep it visible at all times:
1. Hover over the interpreter’s video feed.
2. Click the three dots (…) in the top right corner of their video.
3. Select Pin.

This will keep their video larger and in view, regardless of who is speaking.

Spotlighting an Interpreter:

As a host, you can spotlight the interpreter so that they remain visible for all participants:
1. Hover over the interpreter’s video feed.
2. Click the three dots (…) in the top right corner of their video.
3. Select Spotlight for Everyone.

Zoom's live transcription feature provides automatic captions for participants. This feature uses AI to transcribe speech in real-time.

Turning on Live Transcription (for Hosts):

Viewing Live Transcriptions:

As a participant, once the host has enabled transcription, you will see captions appear automatically at the bottom of the screen.
To view the full transcript:
1. Click the CC button and choose View Full Transcript.
2. A panel will open on the right side of your Zoom window, showing the complete running transcript of the meeting.

Zoom also supports third-party captioning services, which provide higher accuracy and specialized transcription services during meetings.

Using a Third-Party Captioning Service:

The host can assign a third-party captioning service by providing a captioning API token, which can be entered through the CC button in the meeting.

For participants who prefer text-based communication, Zoom’s chat function provides an accessible way to engage with the meeting.

Using Zoom Chat:

During a meeting, click the Chat icon in the meeting controls.
Type your message in the chat box. You can choose to send it to everyone or privately to specific individuals.

Using Zoom Q&A (for Webinars):

If you are in a Zoom Webinar, click the Q&A icon in the meeting controls.
Type your question, and the host or panelists will respond either publicly or privately.

When recording a meeting, Zoom allows you to save captions and transcripts for later viewing.

Recording Captions:

Cloud Recording: If you record the meeting to the cloud, Zoom will save both the video and the transcription.
Local Recording: If you enable closed captions during the meeting, these captions will be included in the recording.

Assign a dedicated captioner if auto-transcription is not enough, or use a third-party service for high accuracy.
Spotlight the interpreter to make sure they are visible at all times.
Enable live transcription for those who rely on captions.
Ensure that all meeting materials, such as slides or documents, are accessible to all participants.

Zoom also offers other accessibility features, such as:

Keyboard Shortcuts: You can navigate Zoom and control features using keyboard commands, which may be helpful for some users with mobility impairments.
Screen Reader Support: Zoom is compatible with screen readers like JAWS, NVDA, and VoiceOver, making the interface accessible for blind or low-vision users.

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