Toni Funck. Courtesy photo.
VENTURA — Toni Funck launched 508 Webinar in October 2016. It wasn’t however until she signed up for Women’s Economic Ventures’ SET course that Toni really saw the potential for her online business. “I was already successfully operating my webinar business for several years but primarily as a sub-contractor for other providers,” stated Toni Funck, founder of 508 Webinar. “WEV taught me how to develop and execute a business plan that would position 508 Webinar directly in front of the clients who need the service most,” she continued.
508 Webinar supports government agencies, the public sector and private enterprise by providing accessible webinars for the deaf and hard of hearing. The term 508 stems from Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. This legislation requires that all Federal agencies make their electronic information such as webinars, accessible to people with disabilities. 508 Webinar is one of the few webinar management companies in the country that specifically focuses on accessibility when delivering webinars.
After evaluating several platforms, 508 Webinar chose LogMeIn’s GoTo suite, formerly Citrix, as the platform of choice for its ease of use by webinar participants. 508 Webinar then layers on accessible services for the deaf and hard of hearing, including real-time transcription and closed-captioning. American sign language interpreters can also be added to ensure a webinar meets the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines. Toni notes that these services benefit all participants not just those who are hard of hearing. “Studies show that visual text paired with audio improves learning and retention. Streaming text during a webinar also expands your audience for those attending from noise sensitive environments like loud coffee shops,” noted Funck.
“Congratulations to Toni on successfully completing and implementing her business plan through WEV’s SET course. We’re proud to have worked with Toni to launch her social enterprise, 508 Webinar, focused on inclusivity for the deaf and hard of hearing,” stated Marsha Baily, Founder and Chief Executive Officer for Women’s Economic Ventures.
Learn more about 508 Webinar’s many accessible services at www.508Webinar.com or email Inquire@508webinar.com. To learn more about Women’s Economic Ventures go to www.WEVonline.org.