“Effective remote working requires a solid digital infrastructure and an inclusive culture that caters to the needs of all employees, especially those with disabilities and chronic illnesses.”
In preparing this blog, I not only used my own experiences, but also those of a deaf colleague. One thing we really agreed on is that it ended up being an amazing, incredible experience as a year or two ago it would not have been possible to attend meetings and conferences online due to the lack of internet connectivity and speed lacked live subtitles and screen readability. Thanks to advances in technology and the platforms we were able to use during the pandemic, we were both able to follow most of the meetings better than we did personally.
It’s interesting to think about how when the coronavirus outbreak became a necessity for many people, thus somewhat balancing the playing field between people with chronic illnesses or disabilities who often thrive with more flexible working conditions. However, it’s also important to remember that working remotely effectively requires a solid digital infrastructure and an inclusive culture that caters to the needs of all employees, especially those with disabilities and chronic illnesses.
It is great that online accessible meetings are now generally available, but we need to make sure that things don’t go back to “normal” after the pandemic and that the needs of people with disabilities continue to be considered in meeting forums and others Elements of work so that those of us who have disabilities can continue to thrive alongside those without disabilities. If you want to learn more about it, you can check out my current blog in Civil Society magazine at Dismantling and integrative workplace after the lockdown.
I hope this blog will help you identify the most accessible meeting platforms and tools based on your needs and those of your organization.
What is your experience of using this and other platforms and their accessibility features? I would love to hear your best and worst experiences, and learn more about accessible online platforms and tools. You can contact me at [email protected].
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