Have you ever attended a Zoom event, only to find that once again, there were no captions available? You type a quick message asking for the feature to be turned on, and the presenters, in a last-minute panic, couldn’t activate the accessibility asset you needed to follow along with their content.
I’ve been there. In the post-pandemic age, you’d think we would have collectively reached proficient use of online educational platforms. However, much like the physical realm, accessibility in the digital realm is often an afterthought.
So, what do you do now? After messaging the meeting hosts with no response, you manage to track down an email address of someone that might be able to help. How do you invoke a response that will ignite meaningful change so that future Zoom sessions are accessible to all viewers?
Having been caught in the same cycle of missing out on essential information, I decided to craft an email template to save myself time and frustration. At Inclusive Communication Services, we hope this letter can be of use to you!
Caption Advocacy Email Template
Step 1: Select the subject line that resonates with you.
- PLEASE turn on captions! Why I missed out on your event…
- Recent event feedback – where are the captions?!
- ADA complaint raised after your recent event
Step 2: Copy and paste the email template below. Don’t forget to fill in the [Parentheses] with the correct information.
Step 3: Hit send and leave us a comment if your advocacy email was successful!
Dear [Organization],
I was excited to recently attend your event, [Event Name], on [Event Date]. However, at the start of the session, the captioning feature was not activated. After messaging the hosts, they were unable to troubleshoot my request on the spot. Unfortunately, this led to me missing the entire presentation simply because the content was not accessible.
Inclusion in the digital realm is often an overlooked facet, but by prioritizing accessibility, you reach a larger audience. There are over 37.5 million adults aged 18 or older with hearing loss in the U.S. and over 430 million people worldwide. Turning on captions benefits everyone, as research shows audience members are more engaged and information is retained at higher rates.
Here are a few action items I would like to suggest to [Organization Name] so that the knowledge you share can be received by d/Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals like myself:
At a minimum:
1. Turn on the Zoom (or insert name of meeting platform) automatic captioning feature. You might need to have your admin activate this feature; instructions can be found here.
2. Add captioning to your pre-event checklist. Ensure the feature is visible. During your housekeeping and etiquette notes at the start of your Zoom presentation, announce that captioning is available with a simple click of a button.
3. Require presenters to also activate the Zoom captions. This helps speakers catch significant mistakes that might be made by the auto feature. Did you know that AI captions are only 60 to 70% accurate? That means every 1 in 3 words could potentially be wrong.
Level up your accessibility game:
1. In comparison to AI accuracy rates, humans are 98% accurate. If your presentation contains technical or advanced information, auto captions are not recommended.
2. Learn more about live captioning, also known as CART, here. A human captioner can easily join your presentation remotely and effectively.
3. Have your team schedule a quick accessibility consult. This will provide them with all the information needed to effectively plan for incorporating live captioning into presentations.
4. Offer accessible sessions of your presentation and advertise them as live captioned. Alternatively, provide an email during the registration process for people to reach out and request a human captioned session.
As a final note, accessibility services set your brand apart, showing that you care about your community understanding the content you create. Kindly pass this email along to the appropriate team member. I would appreciate a quick response confirming that captioning will be available at your next virtual event.
Thank you for your time and consideration in addressing equal access to the knowledge and good work of [Organization Name].
Regards,
[Your Name]
