Holding an accessible meeting

This guidance applies to in-person, virtual and hybrid meetings. Virtual meetings should be planned with the same level of accessibility as in-person meetings.

Meeting materials

For virtual and hybrid meetings, accessible materials are essential, as participants may rely entirely on shared content.

• Make sure your meeting materials such as PowerPoint presentations, Word documents or PDFs are made as accessible as possible
• Send electronic meeting agendas and presentation materials in advance
• Use plain language: simple words and short sentences
• Use colours with sufficient contrast. Do not rely on colour alone to convey meaning
• Use at least a 12 point sans serif font such as BC Sans

Meeting information

• In your meeting invite, give participants an opportunity to identify any accessibility supports they may need. This gives you time to arrange for any requests. You could use something like: "To make this meeting as accessible as possible, please let me know if you require any accessibility supports to participate."
• If needed, book the requested support. This may mean you need to shift your meeting date based on availability
• Give as much advanced notice as possible for meetings. This allows people time to do things like: book an interpreter or schedule a ride in an accessible vehicle
• For in-person meetings, provide information on parking or transportation in your invitation. Include information on accessible parking spaces or drop-off areas close to an accessible entrance
• Provide information on where the meeting room is. Will someone meet participants to direct them? Will they have far to walk?

Virtual meetings

Participants may join from different device types, locations and with varying access needs. The guidance below applies to virtual meetings and should be adapted based on your familiarity with the audience.

Core practices for all meetings

Do not assume you are aware of all accessibility needs, even in meetings with familiar participants. These practices support accessibility for everyone and should be followed by default:

• Use plain language and avoid unnecessary jargon
• Avoid relying on colour alone to convey information during discussions or activities
• Use at least a 12 point sans serif font such as BC Sans
• Speak clearly and at a moderate pace
• Avoid speaking over others
• Describe visual content out loud, including slides, charts or items written on a whiteboard
• Ensure everyone has an opportunity to participate
• Be mindful of lighting, audio quality and background noise
• Use accessible meeting materials and share them in advance when possible

​Additional practices for larger meetings or meetings with unknown participants

When hosting larger meetings, public meetings, webinars or meetings where you do not know participants’ access needs, take additional steps to reduce barriers.

• Invite participants to identify any accessibility supports they may need when scheduling the meeting
• Provide meeting information and materials well in advance
• Assign a moderator or meeting lead to manage speaking order, monitor the chat and relay questions or comments to the presenter
• Ensure people are aware of the live caption tool in MS Teams and how to turn it on and off
• Clearly explain how participants can ask questions or contribute
• Include key instructions in the meeting chat for participants who join late
• Avoid relying on colour alone to convey meaning
• Avoid using acronyms without explanation
• For virtual meetings, ensure important chat activity is read aloud or summarized
• Use built-in Microsoft Teams features (such as chat, hand raising and live captions) rather than third-party tools that may not be accessible
• Ensure shared content (documents, slides and links) is accessible. Refer to the guidance on creating accessible documents
• Encourage participants to mute themselves when not speaking to reduce background noise
• Have each speaker introduce themselves before presenting, so participants who cannot see them know who is speaking

In-person meetings

• Think about the space where you’re hosting the meeting. Are there any barriers that may cause difficulty for someone using a mobility device? Do not just focus on the room itself; also consider the path from the building entrance to the meeting room. This may include: stairs, narrow or cluttered hallways, heavy doors or hard to reach key fob readers, how far away is someone going to have to go to reach the room?
• Where are the accessible washrooms located? Is there a gender-neutral option?
• Leave spaces for those using mobility devices and/or service animals
• If it’s a big meeting, consider reserving seating near the front for those who may have difficulty seeing or hearing the presenter
• If an ASL interpreter is present, position them in an unobstructed and clearly visible location
• Consider allergies such as those related to scents and food

Presentations

The following guidance applies to presentations delivered in person, virtually or in hybrid meetings.

• Check for shadows or glare which can make content difficult to see
• Avoid turning the lights down completely during a PowerPoint presentation. Good lighting helps those who read lips or use ASL
• Choose a meeting room without a considerable echo, especially for hybrid meetings
• Speak slowly and describe images or words projected on the screen or written on white boards, chalk boards, flip charts etc.
• Use white board markers that can easily be seen, avoid light coloured markers
• Use closed captioning options for presentation of videos
• Use a high-contrast mouse pointer or on-screen highlighting tools when presenting content