Zoom

Webinar and video conferencing provider that has advanced moderation and webinar recording features. Zoom is among the most popular/utilized webinar platforms. Zoom is a good option for recording video, hosting breakout rooms, allowing for simultaneous translation, and automated closed captioning.

Little known before the pandemic, Zoom gained prominence in 2020 and is now the leading conferencing tool in 44 countries. Unlike Google Meet which only works with an Internet browser, Zoom users must download and regularly update an application on their computers and mobile devices. Zoom has added a browser-based tool, but most users still use the downloaded application.

The inconvenience of having to download a separate application is made up for by the additional tools available to meeting hosts, such as the ability to mute individuals and record meetings in the cloud. Where Zoom really stands out, however, is as a tool for webinars and with its advanced accessibility features. Automated transcription and closed captioning, while not perfect, is a great accessibility feature especially in contexts where participants are not fluent in the language used on the call. Zoom also has features that enable professional interpreters to offer simultaneous interpretation in multiple languages, a feature that has been particularly handy for NDI programs that support cross-regional dialog.