As a nonprofit organization hosting a virtual event, it is important that you take steps to ensure that your audience is able to log in and participate during your event. Don’t make accessibility an afterthought when planning your virtual events. Review these steps to ensure your virtual event is accessible to all!
1. Survey your audience
Send your audience a quick survey before your virtual training or event to gauge their specific accessibility needs. Including this in the registration to your virtual event is a great way for your audience to share this information. After you have an understanding of what your audience will need, you can start planning your event accordingly!
2. Offer closed captioning
Enabling closed captioning during your virtual event is an effective way to ensure your audience will be able to receive the information you are communicating during your virtual event. Closed captioning and live transcripts can also help your audience retain the information you are sharing during your event, even if the audience is able to access the event’s sound.
3. Providing live language interpretation
Providing your audience with the option to listen in their preferred language will help boost engagement and retention during your events, as well as increase your general audience. Remember to also translate any other presentation materials you are using for your virtual events, such as registration and feedback forms, presentation slides, handouts, and any other additional materials.
4. Check your visual presentation materials
Are your presentation materials legible and easy to read? Make sure any visual materials include large text, legible and appropriate font against a high contrast background. In addition, offering alt text for images for your visually impaired audience who utilize screen reading software is a great way to ensure your audience can participate and is engaged.
5. Share the recording of the virtual event
Providing the recording of the virtual event to your audience will help those who weren’t able to attend live, or may have missed portions of the event. By doing this, your audience will be able to rewatch the virtual event on their own time and at their own pace and ultimately take more away from your virtual event.
6. Get audience feedback
Now that your event is over, follow up with your audience about how they experienced the event. This can be included in the same email as the recording of the event. Once you start to gather this data, you can use this feedback to improve on your next event!
Eager to learn more about planning virtual events? Check out these upcoming online trainings:
Understanding Website Accessibility Requirements for Nonprofits
Register and learn more here
Strategies for Inclusive and Productive Meetings, Focus Groups, and Brainstorming Sessions: In Person or Online
Register and learn more here
Looking for additional free nonprofit resources? Check out our free nonprofit resources page here!