Zoom is making its platform more accessible by adding a sign language interpretation view for Zoom Meetings and Webinars.
The company 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.
Johann Zimmern, Global Education Marketing Lead, Zoom, commented: "Remote learning offers myriad benefits and conveniences, but it can also bring challenges for those with visual, hearing, and other impairments.
"To minimise these barriers, we designed the Zoom platform with several inclusive tools that streamline connections between students, educators, and administrators.
"And now, we're excited to announce our latest feature that continues our dedication to accessibility: the sign language interpretation view for Zoom Meetings and Webinars."
Meeting hosts can designate up to 20 different live sign language translation professionals to appear in a dedicated, participant-activated view during one meeting.
According to Zoom, the interpreter can be isolated and independent from gallery views, screen shares, and spotlights, but it is still part of the meeting itself.
This has been designed to enable translators to swap duties or come and go from the meeting without disrupting other participants, Zoom said.
Zoom has also added a "allow to talk" feature, which enables the interpreter to interact verbally with an instructor or the meeting.
The feature allows the host to bring the interpreter into the main session and enable their microphone for a discussion.
Zoom wants users to spend more time communicating and less time worrying about obstacles that prevent things such as learning.
In addition to the sign language interpretation feature, Zoom's live transcription tool can help the hearing impaired communicate in ways that may have been challenging in the past.
