When teaching or hosting meetings using online platforms such as Zoom, a few thoughtful practices can help ensure all participants are able to fully engage. Many of the most effective strategies are simple teaching and facilitation habits that benefit everyone — not just participants who use accommodations.
Practical strategies that make a difference
- Share materials ahead of time: Provide slides, handouts, or links before the session when possible so participants can review content in advance or follow along in a way that works best for them.
- Set expectations at the start: Begin by outlining the agenda and letting participants know how the session will work, including which features of the platform you’ll use (such as chat, polls, breakout rooms, or screen sharing).
- Encourage speakers to identify themselves: Ask participants to say their name each time they speak. This helps students who are using captions, recordings, or assistive technology follow the conversation more easily.
- Build in intentional pauses: Create brief pauses during and between activities to allow participants time to take notes, read captions, process information, or manage slower internet connections.
- Describe what you’re doing on screen: When sharing your screen or demonstrating a tool, avoid phrases like “click here.” Instead, clearly describe what you’re selecting or where you’re navigating so everyone can follow along — even if they can’t see the screen clearly.
Captions and Sign Language Access
Some students and participants who are Deaf or hard of hearing rely on live captions or sign language interpreters to fully participate in online meetings and classes. At GRCC, these services are coordinated through Disability Support Services for Students or through Employee Accommodations for employees and visitors who require accommodations. GRCC Information Technology (IT) has made it so captions in Zoom and Google Meet are on by default.
GRCC’s audiovisual captioning policy requires that audiovisual media used for instruction, training, campus-sponsored events and co-curricular activities include captions or transcription in an appropriate format. This may include closed or open captions, real-time captions, interactive transcription or subtitles, depending on how the content is delivered.
If you have content that requires captions, please fill out the form for captioning support or email us at caption@grcc.edu early to learn how to request these services and ensure they are in place.
Captions can also benefit many other participants, including those learning in noisy environments, those who process information better through text, or anyone reviewing recorded content. Providing captions for both live and recorded meetings helps create a more inclusive learning experience for everyone.