New Sign Language View Feature Added By Microsoft Teams

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The sign language view on the Microsoft Teams video conferencing platform allows users to choose up to two other participants’ videos to be fixed in a central area so that signers may be seen by all attendees during the meeting. Through the Accessibility page in the app’s settings, the capability may be given access for all meetings or on a meeting-by-meeting basis, along with designated internal or external interpreters. However, the corporation will not offer sign language interpreters to app users.

Even when a presentation is being shared, prioritized screen pins will stand out from other pinned screens because of their greater size and superior video quality.

Users may customize the functionality, so if one participant has been pinned as a sign language view, it won’t apply to other participants. Users can modify their accessibility choices while on a call by selecting options on a pane that provide them access to features like turning on the sign language view by default or choosing their favorite signers in advance.

The firm states that the functionality may become available on Teams desktop and web clients for commercial and GCC users in the next weeks, however, it is now only accessible for trial on Public Preview.

Microsoft Teams Adds Sign Language View for Meetings - Thurrott.com

Teams View in Sign Language

In Microsoft Teams, click on Settings and more, select Settings > Accessibility, and then switch on Sign Language to allow the sign language view across meetings by default.
As long as their videos are active, designated signers are visible on stage when a sign language view is enabled.
According to the blog post, additional participants can also be pinned or highlighted without taking up any of the signers’ space.
Additionally, the business made settings “sticky,” eliminating the need to adjust features and perspectives every time a user attends a meeting.
The accessibility pane and sign language view are only presently accessible through a Public Preview that is made available to each user individually.