FEATURED ARTICLE
Conducting virtual meetings and conference events accessible to people with disabilities by Art Phonsawat ACAA Associate Access Consultant Vista Access Architects
Art is a qualified Interior Designer, qualified Access Consultant and an Associate member of the Association of Consultants in Access Australia. Art has been with Vista Access Architects since May 2020.
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020: what a year that was! We had to adapt to an unprecedented and unpredictable global situation in response to a pandemic that has changed the shape of our day to day lives going forward. In this ‘new norm’, most of us had to learn to work from home, and while that seemed a novel idea to begin with, it has posed its own challenges. For some of us, these new issues have been amplified by existing hurdles that many Australians face in working with a disability, whether it be vision impairment, hearing, speaking, or physical impairments.
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It has always been important to provide an inclusive working environment for everyone, and now more than ever, it is essential to know how to conduct a virtual meeting or interview with these factors in mind. Conferences can span the gamut of tiring, informative and interesting (and we’ve all been in every one of those meetings), but to a person with a disability, these meetings can be a daunting experience or a labor-intensive endeavor, as they try to grasp and follow the information being delivered. A lot of tools and apps help, but technology alone is rarely intuitive. Being in a position where you can aid this process, there is an unspoken responsibility for you to strive to make any virtual meetings and interviews as inclusive as possible. Planning is a key step for any success, and a few extra steps can make a huge difference to your presentation and ensure an inclusive meeting. Here are a few ideas to think about when planning your next virtual meeting:
THE MAGAZINE FOR THE ASSOCIATION OF CONSULTANTS IN ACCESS AUSTRALIA
