How to create an accessible remote work environment: Hiring and working with people with disabilities, virtually.

Globally, the number of people with disabilities is on the rise. According to the World Health Organization, many factors account for this, including an aging population, the rise of chronic diseases, and improvements in the methodologies used in disability measurement.

As remote work continues to have wide-reaching impacts across the globe, It is important to observe and analyze how this new way of working affects people with disabilities, taking into account issues with their health, education, and communication.

Here are strategies to build a disability friendly remote work environment

Table of Contents

1. Create accessible web content

It is important to make content accessible for all types of readers. This means that we need to make sure that the content is available in different formats and can be read by people with disabilities. Here’s how to create disability-friendly content.

(a) Offer varied and clear web content

The first step towards making content accessible is to make sure that it is available in different formats, so people can choose the one they prefer. The website should have a text version of the content, as well as an audio version for those who find it difficult reading.

A person with dyslexia, for example, may have difficulty reading text on a screen. To make sure they understand the content, you should use simpler words, shorter sentences, and break up the text into short paragraphs.

(b) Images and graphics

When creating images for your website, you should also consider adding an extra layer of description or alternative text that makes them easier to understand if they are not visible on screen.

(c) Video and audio content

Audio and video content should be transcribed, captioned, or described. If you are an organization that does not have a budget to create captions, there are free services like YouTube Live Captioning and CaptionSync that can help you out.

Content accessibility should be seen across all your messaging systems, including email, social media, and your website.

(d) Create accessible internal documentation

Internal documentation is crucial for any company. It is the foundation of knowledge that can help employees to perform their tasks more efficiently and effectively. The most important thing to keep in mind when creating internal documentation is that it should be accessible for everyone who needs it. This includes people with disabilities, employees who speak different languages, and even those who are not tech-savvy.

2. Use the right remote work tools: accessible remote work software

To make remote work accessible to every employee, employers need to choose the right remote work tool.

Some people with disabilities use assistive devices to interact with the computer. When evaluating a remote work product, confirm that the tool supports commonly used assistive devices, including screen reading and braille systems.

Here are some accessible remote work software to consider:

Video and audio communication (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, etc.)
Managing documents (Microsoft SharePoint, Google’s OneDrive, etc.)
Email handling (Google Workspace, etc.)
Chat/text communication (Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Hangouts, etc.)
Office suites (Microsoft Office, etc.)

3. Host Accessible Virtual Conferences (Audio, Video, etc.)

Virtual conferences are enabling great remote work globally.

However, virtual meetings may not be accessible by people with disabilities who depend on assistive technologies to be able to participate in the event.

That’s why it is important that virtual conferences are hosted in a way that they can be accessible to this important demographic.

While hosting virtual conferences that are accessible to people with disabilities is not easy, it’s worth the effort and will make an impact on the lives of many people.

There are many ways you can make your virtual conference accessible to people with disabilities.

Provide a live captioning service.
Provide transcripts and video captions.
Use screen reading software to provide notifications on the screen.
Make sure that there is an easy to find and use information desk.
And finally, providing sign language interpreters during the event can help too.

Concluding

In this day and age, people with disabilities are not only able to work remotely but also have the opportunity to work from home. This is due to the advancement of technology and accessibility in virtual environments. The use of AT tools such as screen readers, magnification software, voice recognition software, and alternative input devices are making it easy for people with disabilities to work from their homes.

The importance of people with disabilities in remote work is imperative because they can provide a new perspective that other remote workers might not be able to provide. They can offer a different point of view which can be beneficial for organizations who want diversity in their teams.

It is important that we provide accessible virtual work environments because they allow people with disabilities to have access to jobs and careers that they otherwise wouldn’t be able to have.

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