Zoom Accessibility

Environment

Zoom

Issue

How do I use accessibility features in Zoom? How do I navigate Zoom via keyboard and screen reader?

Resolution

Zoom is a video/audio conferencing application that can be used to host meetings containing many individuals. It is relatively accessible compared to similar conferencing applications when using a screen reader or keyboard. To learn more about Zoom’s commitment to accessibility, please review Zoom’s Accessibility page.

Closed Captioning and ASL Interpretation

Zoom has broadly inclusive support for closed captioning and ASL interpretation. Learn more about Videoconferencing Captioning Tools for Zoom.

Please note, that none of these links are endorsements towards any product or company/organization, but rather are referenced here as potential resources which you can look into on your own. 

  • Shared - ASL Interpreter/CART Contacts is a working community list curated by U-M National Center for Institutional Diversity [NCID]. It lists service providers for live captioning/CART and American Sign Language [ASL] interpretation. Note that when people with disabilities request ASL or live captioning as an accommodation for attending an event or meeting, it is because they are not well served by autocaptioning, and units are generally required to provide for these services. Questions may be addressed to the U-M ADA Coordinator.

  • Accessibility Tips for a Better Zoom/Virtual Meeting Experience: Gaullaudet University has shared this guide for providing access to D/deaf and Hard-of-Hearing users.

Additional Zoom Accessibility Practices

  • In Zoom, you may record video calls. After recording video, consider providing a transcription and automated captions.

  • You can automatically save chat messages. Additionally, users can copy and paste some or all chat messages. 

  • Users may find that setting a solid color background for Zoom may help eliminate distractions for themselves or others in the call. Please note that adding animated backgrounds may be distracting and could create an inaccessible environment for others on a call. Avoid using background animations with a lot of blinking or flashing content or backgrounds with overly high or low contrast as compared to the Zoom interface.

Navigating Zoom via Screen Reader and Keyboard

Desktop App

The apps on Mac and Windows have a similar user interface and are operated in a similar way when using a screen reader.

  • In both apps, it is possible to use the tab and shift+tab keys to navigate. It is also possible to use (control+option+left) and (control+option+right) on the Mac. It is best to operate controls with (enter) on Windows and control+option+space on Mac. If no keyboard commands are given in the instructions, these keys should be used.

  • The main screen of the app has tab navigation. On Windows, when the screen reader says that focus is on the tab list, pressing left arrow and right arrow, changes the active tab and updates the user interface to match the focused tab. On the Mac, you can use tab or shift+tab to move between the tabs and control+option+space to activate the focused tab.

  • When you are scheduling meetings, you can use the up arrow and down arrow to adjust the different controls for items such as the date and time pickers. When you are adjusting items that are specifically marked as combo boxes, after you use the arrow keys to adjust them, you need to press enter to confirm your choice or keyboard focus will seem to be stuck because tab and shift+tab will not move between controls.

  • Once you are in a meeting, you can navigate between controls to turn video on or off, mute and unmute the microphone, and open the meeting information to get meeting details to give to others to join.

  • If you tab once beyond either the button to start or stop the camera or the one to mute or unmute the microphone, there is a button which opens a menu that you navigate with up arrow and down arrow. In this menu, you can select which microphone or camera is used.

  • When you select the button to open the participants panel, you can explore who is in the meeting, view the nonverbal feedback of others, and provide nonverbal feedback of your own. When open, the list of participants can be navigated with the up arrow and down arrow when focused. 

  • If you select More Meeting Controls you gain access to more features, one of the important features being chat. If you select chat in this menu, the screen reader will announce that the chat has either been expanded or collapsed. If the window is maximized, some of the controls that are in this menu such as chat will be available in the main window, as controls that can be accessed with tab rather than via the menu.

  • When the Chat is open, all chat messages are in a list that can be navigated with the up arrow and down arrow keys. Between the chat output and the chat input fields, there are a few drop downs that can be activated with enter and navigated with the up arrow and down arrow keys.

Additional Information

Need additional information or assistance? Contact the ITS Service Center.

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