Sign Language View

Microsoft is introducing a new sign language experience in Teams called Sign Language View. With this feature, interpreters and other sign language users (signers) can be prioritized during calls to remain visible in a static location on the meeting stage and experience higher video quality. The feature is currently available only on Teams Desktop.  

You can prioritize specific sign language users inside the organization by adding them to a prioritized signer list in the Teams app. Sign Language View is a personal, user-level setting, and is visible only for those who have turned it on. It will not be shown to the rest of the meeting participants.

Below is a list of changes users will see as Sign Language View rolls out:

• The “Sign Language” option will appear in the More menu found when selecting the three dots in the toolbar
  

• A new Accessibility pane will appear in the main Settings menu that will include toggles for turning on Sign Language View and setting captioning to appear across all meetings
  

• Within the Accessibility settings pane, users can also create a list of people internal to their organization to always prioritize for sign language. If more than two individuals are prioritized for sign language, the first two who join a meeting and turn on video will be prioritized.

• Within a meeting, Sign Language View will show the participants you designate as signers (people who use sign language) at a larger size, in a static location, with a fit-to-frame aspect ratio and higher quality video with low bandwidth scenario support.
  

• When no content is shared, prioritized signers appear on the lower part of center state; when content is shared, prioritized signers shift location, still with prioritized, larger video for up to two signers.
  

  
  How to use Sign Language View:

  Enable User-level setting and add signers
  Go to Settings > Accessibility and turn on the Switch for Sign Language.
  Add sign language users who you would like to prioritize videos of across your meetings.

  Add and remove signers in a meeting
  Using the Context menu on another user, add them as a signer.
  Note: A maximum of two signers can be prioritized for sign language and viewed in the center of the meeting. The rest of the signers will be placed in the side or top gallery.

  Change views and come back to Sign Language View
  Use the overflow menu with view options to change among view (Main Gallery, Large Gallery and Together Mode).
  Note: Only Sign Language View supports prioritizing sign language users.

  Modify settings while in a meeting
  Go to More context menu in the toolbar > Accessibility.
  Manage the signer list.
  Turn captions on by default (optional).

Victoria Burnett • 2022-Nov-08