Microsoft has revealed that it is adding the option for sign language view to the Microsoft Teams platform.

The feature is designed to improve accessibility on the Teams platform and will allow a user to prioritise up to two other participants’ videos so they stay visible and in a consistent location.

It means that people who are deaf or hard of hearing can keep interpreters and others who use sign language at the centre of their Teams meetings.

Chris Sano, Accessibility Architect for Microsoft Teams Calling, commented: “As a Deaf person who uses Teams for several meetings a day, I am all too familiar with the challenges that virtual meetings pose to Deaf and hard of hearing (D/HH) users.

“About a year ago, I took on the role of Accessibility Architect for Microsoft Teams Calling, Meeting and Devices, and one of my primary responsibilities has been to build out the vision for creating a best-in-class experience for the D/HH community in Teams.

“The most important piece of that work has been making our efforts in this space more community-driven.

“Inclusive design starts with the community telling us how they want to be able to use the product – not us telling you how to use it.

“Sign language view will enable you to prioritize up to two other participants’ videos so they stay visible and in a consistent location throughout the meeting.”

Microsoft states that the sign language view feature is the company’s first step towards addressing several asks from the D/HH community.

This included keeping interprets and other signers’ video feeds in a consistent location, ensuring video feeds are an appropriate size for sign language visibility, empowering participants to have up tp two other signers in view, and reducing repetitive meeting setup tasks like pinning interpreters and turning on captions are the start of each meeting.

When the feature is enabled, the prioritised video streams automatically appear at the right aspect ratio and will be in the highest available quality.

The sign language view is personal to each user meaning they can set it up to best suit their own needs.

Microsoft has confirmed that when a meeting participant shares content, such as their screen, the prioritised signer video will shift position but remain in high quality and at a larger size than other people in the meeting.

Users can access the new accessibility pane in the Teams settings menu to turn sign language view on by default across all meetings.

A list of preferred signers can also be pre-identified via the Teams settings, for example, your regular interpreters who you work with on a regular basis.

Microsoft’s addition of sign language view comes weeks after Zoom announced a similar feature to its platform.

Zoom is designing the feature to be deployed in most environments, focusing on remote education.

Zoom Meeting and Webinar hosts will be able to arrange for a sign language interpreter in advance, which enables those who need the interpreter to choose one in their preferred language.

 

 



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