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Businessman in a video conference with his team while working from home during quarantine.

A user's guide to video conferencing apps

Assessing different options' accessibility and usability

Businessman in a video conference with his team while working from home during quarantine.

Last reviewed: February 2024

Introduction

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, video conferencing apps have remained in widespread use for remote and hybrid meetings. As such, it is vital that employers and users understand the accessibility features of the platform(s) they use.

What makes a video conferencing app accessible?

How accessible or usable any app is depends on the person using it, their disability, and the requirements of their work and employer.

Most video apps offer similar features, such as a screen-sharing option to let other callers see what’s on your computer, a mute button and instant messaging. But they differ in the access services they provide, like live closed captions. It is worth noting that although artificial intelligence (AI) has improved tremendously in recent years, AI generated closed captions are still not as good as captions provided by a human being. Some platforms allow users to add captions created by a human transcriber.

However, accessibility is not just about the application itself, but also about the content and information that users populate it with. An app will only be accessible if it is used in an accessible way. For example, you may be presenting a document which is not accessible, does not have the right colour contrast, and the font is too small. Our guide on this in our Inclusive Communication Toolkit has further guidance.

Disclaimer

Apps are regularly updated, with new features added all the time. As such, this list may not reflect the most recent developments.

If you are a developer or user or if you know of an update or change that needs to be added to the list, please let us know. We have also tried to include a link to the suppliers’ websites, so please also check these for any updated information on the accessibility features. Similarly, if there is an app that’s missing that should be in the list again let us know and we will add it.

We are enormously grateful to our colleagues at Scope for their research on video conferencing apps which formed the basis of the original version of this page in 2020.

Video conferencing apps

Blackboard

Blackboard is an online teaching and learning tool used by students and teachers. It enables online classroom learning with course materials, student/teacher interactions and assessments delivered online. It can facilitate real time and recorded lectures and discussions and can be used for mentoring and tutoring.

Advantages

  • Provides HTML content to view.
  • Multiple methods of communication.
  • Instructors are prompted to add alt text to images.
  • Is compatible with several screen readers.
  • Is possible to enable high contrast on the log in page.
  • Quick links and keyboard log ins are available.
  • Has the ability to add your own alt text to images.

Disadvantages

  • No speech-to-text function.
  • Doesn’t have live captions, you have to add them to your materials.
  • Users report that it is difficult to navigate.

Useful links

Microsoft Teams

Teams is available to organisations who use Office 365. There is also a version available to users who do not have access to Office 365, called Microsoft Teams (free).

Advantages

  • Live captions available on desktop app and mobile. Desktop users have a greater range of caption customisation options.
  • Screen reader accessible.
  • External guests can join as long as they have a valid business or consumer email address.
  • Chat messaging function.
  • Calls, meetings and chat can be accessed within web browser.
  • Audio, video and screen-sharing activity can be recorded in Teams meetings. Automatic transcription allows users to playback the conversation and search within the transcript.
  • Users can blur their background for privacy or to remove distractions for those lip reading.
  • Supports up to 1,000 call participants.
  • Live captions available in 28 languages.
  • External live captioners can be added to meetings, and their captions can be viewed within the meeting window.

Disadvantages

  • Blur background function is disabled for some users and appears as “disabled by policies.”

Useful links

Skype for Business

Integrates with Microsoft Outlook and Office 365 products.

Can be used on a computer, mobile or tablet, with a WiFi connection or mobile data plan.

Advantages

  • Supports up to 250 call participants.
  • Closed captions can be viewed in Skype meeting broadcasts, but they must be enabled by the meeting organiser beforehand.
  • Chat messaging function.
  • Screen reader accessible.
  • Users can blur their background for privacy and to enable lipreading without distractions.

Disadvantages

  • Users must have a Skype for Business or Lync account through their organisation.
  • Live closed captioning only available if the meeting organiser has selected the languages for automatic translation.
  • Closed caption support for real-time transcription must be provided through a third-party service or by typing yourself.
  • Users must download desktop or mobile app.
  • Charges call-in fees on top of per-month and per-user fee.

Useful links

WebEx Meetings

WebEx Meetings is a video and content sharing cloud solution that users can join via desktop, mobile, browser, and video devices.

WebEx allows users to host or participate in video conferencing, online meetings, and screen sharing, with up to 1,000 participants allowed in a virtual meeting room. WebEx offers a free trial, but is thereafter a paid service.

Advantages

  • Possible to join from a browser without needing to download anything.
  • Compatible with JAWS screen reader.
  • Supports the high contrast scheme of the Windows operating system.
  • Supports browser text resizing and zoom functionality.
  • Live closed captions available.
  • Possible to pin a video to see an interpreter.
  • The host can record the meeting and create a transcript.
  • Can be controlled through keyboard shortcuts.

Disadvantages

  • Supports high contrast only with the Chrome high contrast extension.
  • Only compatible with JAWS screen reader – limited compatibility with other screen readers.

Useful links

Zoom

Free video conferencing software. Can be used on a computer, mobile or tablet, with a Wi-Fi connection or mobile data plan. Popular with people who require interpreters and speech-to-text reporters.

Unlimited one-to-one video meeting calls with the basic free package, with a 40-minute limit on group call times. For longer meetings, one meeting member must be signed up to the Pro subscription.

There are a range of higher tiers of subscription – such as Business, Business Plus, and Enterprise. Refer to Zoom website for details.

Advantages

  • Accessible via a screen reader.
  • Automatic live captioning for free accounts and paid accounts.
  • Keyboard-only navigation enabled.
  • Anyone can be invited to join a Zoom call.
  • Does not require a mobile or desktop app download for attendees. Users can use through a web browser.
  • Users can change their background.
  • Supports up to 100 call participants in Basic and Pro plans – up to 300 in Business plan, and up to 1,000 in Enterprise plan.
  • Chat messaging function.
  • You can pin a speaker to your screen, so that you can keep an interpreter in view all the time.
  • Possible to phone into a Zoom meeting as well as joining with video.

Disadvantages

  • 40 minutes limit on hosting group video meetings with the basic package.
  • Closed captions must be enabled by meeting host before meeting starts.
  • Only the host can mute everyone.

Useful links

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