Usage Guide

How to Use

A complete walkthrough of every accessibility feature in ADA Meetings. Learn how to get the most out of each tool with step-by-step instructions and pro tips.

Person using accessibility tools during a video meeting with captions, sign language window, and contrast controls visible

Quick Start (2 minutes)

1

Sign in

Create account

2

Start free trial

7 days free

3

Launch the app

Click "Launch App"

4

Start captions

Toggle on or Alt+C

5

Open your meeting

Side-by-side

Need detailed setup instructions? See the Installation Guide

How You Know It's Working

Once you start captions, look for these three indicators to confirm ADA Meetings is active during your meeting:

Green "Listening" Badge

A green label with a pulsing microphone icon appears in the caption status bar. If you see "Paused" instead, captions are off.

Live Captions Appearing

As people speak, captions appear in real time with timestamps. Interim text shows in italics; finalized text appears in bold.

Caption Counter & Timer

The status bar shows a running count of finalized captions. The Transcript Panel also shows a live session duration timer.

Feature-by-Feature Guide

Real-Time Captioning

Steps

  1. 1Open the app and locate the sidebar on the left side.
  2. 2In the "Live Captions" section, toggle "Enable Captions" on or press Alt+C.
  3. 3Your browser will request microphone permission — click "Allow".
  4. 4You will see a green "Listening" indicator with a pulsing mic icon in the caption area status bar — this confirms the tool is active.
  5. 5Speak naturally. Captions appear in the main area with timestamps. Interim text shows in italics; finalized captions appear in bold.
  6. 6Toggle off or press Alt+C again to stop captioning. The status changes to "Paused".

Pro Tips

  • Speak clearly and at a moderate pace for best accuracy.
  • Minimize background noise for cleaner transcription.
  • The caption area auto-scrolls to show the latest text.
  • The caption counter in the status bar shows how many finalized captions have been captured.

Text-to-Speech (TTS)

Steps

  1. 1In the sidebar, find the "Text-to-Speech" section.
  2. 2Toggle TTS on with the switch or press Alt+T.
  3. 3When captions are active, each finalized caption is read aloud automatically.
  4. 4An amber "Speaking" indicator appears in the status bar when TTS is reading.
  5. 5Adjust the speech rate using the rate slider (0.5x to 2x speed).
  6. 6Adjust volume with the volume slider.
  7. 7Toggle off to stop TTS at any time.

Pro Tips

  • Use a slower rate (0.75x) for complex content or non-native speakers.
  • TTS works best with headphones to avoid feedback with the microphone.
  • TTS only reads finalized captions, not interim text.

Sign Language Interpreter Window

Steps

  1. 1In the sidebar, find the "Sign Language" section.
  2. 2Toggle the switch on or press Alt+S to open the interpreter window.
  3. 3Your browser will request camera permission — click "Allow".
  4. 4A draggable picture-in-picture window appears showing your webcam feed.
  5. 5Drag the window by its title bar to reposition it anywhere on screen.
  6. 6Click the expand button to toggle between compact and expanded sizes.
  7. 7Click X or press Alt+S again to close the window.

Pro Tips

  • Position the window near the meeting video for easy reference.
  • The video is mirrored so signers see themselves naturally.
  • Use this for a sign language interpreter who is in the same room.

High Contrast Modes

Steps

  1. 1In the sidebar, find the "Contrast" section.
  2. 2Click through three contrast modes: Default, High Contrast (light), Dark High Contrast.
  3. 3Or press Alt+H to cycle through modes.
  4. 4Each mode adjusts all colors, borders, and focus indicators for maximum readability.

Pro Tips

  • High Contrast mode uses pure black text on white — ideal for low vision.
  • Dark High Contrast uses white text on black — reduces eye strain in dim environments.
  • Focus indicators become thicker (4px) in high contrast modes.

Adjustable Typography

Steps

  1. 1In the sidebar, find the "Typography" section.
  2. 2Use the font size slider to adjust text size from 14px to 40px.
  3. 3Or press Alt+= to increase and Alt+- to decrease font size.
  4. 4Choose between Atkinson Hyperlegible (optimized for readability) or system default font.
  5. 5All changes apply immediately across the entire app.

Pro Tips

  • Atkinson Hyperlegible was specifically designed for low-vision readers.
  • The 18px default is larger than most apps for better baseline readability.
  • Font size changes persist across sessions via local storage.

Keyboard Navigation

Steps

  1. 1All features are accessible via keyboard — no mouse required.
  2. 2Press Tab to move between interactive elements; Shift+Tab to go backward.
  3. 3Press Enter or Space to activate buttons and toggles.
  4. 4All keyboard shortcuts use the Alt key as modifier.
  5. 5Focus indicators are bold (3px outline, 4px offset) for high visibility.

Pro Tips

  • Enable the keyboard shortcuts toggle in the sidebar to activate all shortcuts.
  • Shortcuts are disabled when typing in input fields to prevent conflicts.
  • Screen readers announce all state changes via ARIA live regions.

Transcript Panel & Export

Steps

  1. 1Click the "Transcript" button in the top header bar to open the Transcript Panel on the right side of the screen.
  2. 2The panel shows a scrollable list of all finalized captions with entry numbers, timestamps, and text.
  3. 3Use the search box at the top of the panel to filter captions by keyword.
  4. 4Click "Download TXT" to export the transcript as a plain text file with timestamps.
  5. 5Click "Download SRT" to export in subtitle format (compatible with video players and editors).
  6. 6Click "Copy All" to copy the entire transcript to your clipboard.
  7. 7The panel header shows the total caption count and live session duration timer.
  8. 8Use "Clear" in the sidebar's Transcript section or press Alt+X to clear all captions and start fresh.

Pro Tips

  • Export regularly during long meetings to avoid losing data if you close the tab.
  • Only finalized (non-interim) captions are included in exports.
  • The SRT format is useful if you want to add subtitles to a meeting recording.
  • The search feature helps you quickly find specific topics discussed during the meeting.

Screen Reader Support

Steps

  1. 1The app is fully compatible with NVDA, JAWS, and VoiceOver screen readers.
  2. 2All interactive elements have descriptive ARIA labels.
  3. 3The caption area uses role="log" with aria-live="polite" for live updates.
  4. 4Status changes (listening, speaking) are announced via aria-live regions.
  5. 5Semantic HTML (nav, main, aside, section) provides clear page structure.

Pro Tips

  • Use heading navigation (H key in screen readers) to jump between sections.
  • The sidebar is marked as role="complementary" for easy landmark navigation.
  • All icons are marked aria-hidden to avoid redundant announcements.

Keyboard Shortcuts Reference

All shortcuts use the Alt key as modifier. Enable keyboard shortcuts in the sidebar settings.

ShortcutAction
Alt + CToggle live captions on/off
Alt + TToggle text-to-speech on/off
Alt + SToggle sign language window
Alt + HCycle through contrast modes
Alt + =Increase font size
Alt + -Decrease font size
Alt + EExport transcript as TXT file
Alt + XClear transcript
TabMove to next interactive element
Shift + TabMove to previous interactive element
Enter / SpaceActivate focused button or toggle
EscapeClose dialogs or menus

Best Practices for Accessible Meetings

Before the Meeting
  • Test your microphone in a quiet environment
  • Open ADA Meetings and enable captions before the meeting starts
  • Inform participants that accessibility tools are available
  • Share the ADA Meetings link with attendees who need it
During the Meeting
  • Speak one at a time for clearer captioning
  • Identify yourself before speaking in large meetings
  • Pause briefly between topics for caption catch-up
  • Use the export feature periodically for long meetings
For Meeting Hosts
  • Ask if anyone needs accessibility accommodations
  • Allow extra time for participants using assistive tools
  • Share meeting transcripts after the session
  • Consider providing a sign language interpreter
Technical Tips
  • Use Chrome or Edge for the best speech recognition
  • Close unnecessary tabs to improve performance
  • Use headphones to prevent audio feedback with TTS
  • Keep the app tab visible for uninterrupted captioning

Frequently Asked Questions

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