Virtual events are often assumed to be more accessible. In many ways they are. But inaccessible virtual design creates entirely new barriers and they affect the same people who already face barriers in person.

Removing the need to travel, navigate a physical venue, or manage a crowd is genuinely valuable for many attendees with disabilities, chronic conditions, or sensory sensitivities. But that advantage disappears if the platform, content, and communications are not designed with care.

Platform Accessibility. Check Before You Commit

Not all virtual event platforms offer even basic accessible functionality. Before choosing a platform, verify:

• Closed captioning is available and works on mobile and small screens
• The chat function allows participation without appearing on camera
• The platform works with keyboard-only controls
• Screen reader compatibility has been tested
• Transcripts can be downloaded and shared after the event.

Test all of this from the perspective of an attendee using assistive technology, not as an organiser.

Content Accessibility in Virtual Presentations

Slides that work in person often fail on screen. Text-heavy presentations are harder to follow on a laptop. Small fonts become unreadable. Colour contrast that looks fine on a projector can disappear on a monitor.

Use your presentation software’s built-in accessibility checker before any session. Maintain appropriate colour contrast throughout. Use a sans-serif font at size 14 or above. Ensure all speakers speak clearly and at a measured pace, essential for accurate captioning and lip-reading.

Language and Representation

Replace “Where do you come from?” with “Where are you calling in from today?” Brief speakers on inclusive language. Actively recruit diverse speaker panels, a representative line-up signals genuine commitment to inclusion.

Consider translation features for multilingual audiences. Share transcripts with all attendees after the event, this benefits people with hearing impairments, ADHD, dyslexia, and anyone who wants to revisit the content.

Wellbeing in Virtual Events

Virtual events remove physical barriers. They do not remove sensory ones. Long virtual days are exhausting. Build genuine breaks into virtual schedules just as you would in person. Encourage attendees to step away from screens. Share wellbeing resources alongside your programme.

Signpost a virtual quiet time, a designated period mid-day where no sessions run and attendees are actively encouraged to rest, move, and regulate. This is the virtual equivalent of a Calm Nest Space® and it costs nothing to build in.

At Calm Nest Collective, we support inclusive design for virtual and hybrid events as well as in-person ones — because inclusion must apply everywhere your attendees experience your event.

Make your virtual events as inclusive as your in-person ones. [Talk to us →]