Web Ex and Web Ex Accessibility
Webex is a video conferencing and collaboration platform used by some courses at Rutgers for virtual instruction, office hours, advising, and meetings. It offers tools such as video, audio, screen sharing, chat, and recording—all in a secure cloud-based environment.
To ensure your sessions are inclusive and accessible to all participants, including those with disabilities, it’s important to use Webex’s built-in accessibility features and follow best practices when hosting meetings.
Before exploring accessibility options, make sure your Webex account is set up correctly.
Quick Links:
- Rutgers Webex (Main Page)
- Quick Start Guide for Web Ex
- Webex Account Eligibility
- Getting started with Cisco Webex Webinars
- Webex best practices and overview
- Webex FAQs
Web Ex Accessibility
Below are some tips for making your Web Ex sessions more accessible for everyone, including those with disabilities in your course, meetings, or training sessions.
Recording your Webex sessions is helpful for students who experience connection issues or cannot attend live.
- Recordings can be used to support captioning and transcription accommodations.
- The Office of Disability Services (ODS) will contact you if a student in your course requires captioning.
- ODS will also assist with setting up captioning or transcription services if needed.
Webex includes several features to support Deaf and hard of hearing participants:
- Pin an interpreter's video to keep it visible throughout the session.
- Enable automated or manual closed captions for real-time access.
- Share transcripts after the meeting if recording was enabled.
- Adjust layouts to keep interpreters in focus.
Visit the Cisco Webex Accessibility Overview for more details.
Rutgers has step-by-step information for adding live captioning for online classes in Web Ex.
- Enable closed captioning in meetings when a student requires this accommodation.
- ODS will notify you if captioning is required for a registered student.
- You can assign a participant to manually type captions if needed.
- Familiarize yourself with how to assign a participant to type closed captions in the event you have an accommodation request.
Webex Meetings and Events work with the latest version of the JAWS screen reader.
- All keyboard shortcuts listed in the accessibility section are compatible with screen readers.
- Screen readers cannot access content from shared presentations, shared apps, or shared desktops.
- The app supports:
- High contrast mode (via Windows OS)
- Zoom functionality (via OS-level zoom tools)
If you're sharing slides or desktop content, verbally describe what's on screen to support screen reader users.
Learn more:
- Webex supports full keyboard navigation for hosting, joining, and participating in meetings.
- Sharing keyboard shortcuts ahead of time helps all users — especially those using assistive tech.
- Verbally describe charts, images, or whiteboard content during your session.
- This is especially important for:
- Participants with visual impairments
- Call-in users who don’t have visual access to your screen
- Provide links in multiple formats: verbally, in the chat, and via email.
- Use shortened URLs (e.g., bit.ly or TinyURL) to make them easier to access.
- Share materials in advance whenever possible to support assistive technology users.
- Webex includes a built-in polling feature for meetings.
- Test the tool before class to ensure it works smoothly.
- Confirm accessibility or consider alternative polling tools if needed
- If polling is part of your course engagement, provide instructions clearly and offer support for those unable to access it.
Need more help? Contact Rutgers Access and Disability Resources or the IT Accessibility Team.