Lectures, seminar courses and conferences via Zoom etc. offer students with disabilities many advantages, but also some new challenges. Here are some tips for making them successful.

For blind/visually impaired students

Presentation

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• In your computer settings, select a large and high-contrast cursor symbol.
• Do not move the cursor too quickly.
• Announce any slide changes or moves within a slide to a different diagram or image.
• Explain each image in detail – even if your students have received the slides in advance. Your students cannot listen to you and to the screen reader’s explanations of the slides at the same time.

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Discussion

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• Moderate the discussion carefully.
• Call on individual students by name.
• Deactivate the chat or read any relevant chat contributions aloud.

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Chat

Avoid parallel use of chat and spoken conversation whenever possible. If important content was shared in the chat, download the chat at the end of the video conference and send the file to your visually impaired students.

Recording

Record your presentation and the discussion and make the recording available to students to listen to later.

For hearing-impaired students

A wide spectrum of hearing impairments exist. Consult your students to learn what resources and methods are most helpful to them. Here are some options:

Live sign-language interpretation

Deaf and some hearing-impaired individuals prefer to use sign-language. A sign language interpreter may also be helpful during video conferences. For students with Swiss federal disability insurance (DI) support, the DI will typically pay for sign language interpretation.

Live closed captioning

Closed captioning is also very popular. A closed-captioner transcribes everything that is said and the transcription appears in real time on the screen of the hearing-impaired person. For students with Swiss federal disability insurance (DI) support, the DI will typically pay for closed captioning.

Automatic subtitling

Providers such as Zoom offer automatic subtitling. If your software/license offers this option, test its quality before using it during class.

Some students with hearing impairments have the subtitling app “AVA” installed on their devices and are able to follow conversations with its help.

Hearing aids, software

If your students use a hearing aid or a subtitling app such as AVA:

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• Use an external microphone
• Eliminate any **background noise **
• Moderate carefully

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Lip reading

Many hearing-impaired individuals use lip reading in addition to other communication strategies and aids. To support lip reading, it is important that you (and all participants):

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• Ensure good lighting (no backlighting)
• Are sitting close enough to the camera
• Speak slowly and clearly
• Moderate carefully: only one person speaks at a time

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