Berkeley Lab

New Accessibility Tool: Zoom, Google Meet Captioning

zoom screen shotVideo meeting platforms help remote work teams stay connected; however, they can have hidden accessibility barriers. Thanks to our IT Collaboration Services Group, live captioning — a tool that can help ensure that content is accessible for all — is now enabled on Zoom as well as Google Meet.

Video meeting platforms have become the tool of choice for teleworking. The Zoom and Google Meet platforms used at the Lab allow far-flung teams to connect, but video platforms often have limitations. Like conference calls, a downside of video in lieu of in-person meetings is low sound quality. Participants can be left at a disadvantage when it comes to hearing what is said, especially if they are deaf or hearing-impaired, the speaker is soft-spoken, or they are working in a noisy environment. Remote meetings can also be hard to follow for participants who are English language learners.

One solution that can improve meeting accessibility for participants is to enable live captioning. Read more and get directions on how to use captioning.