diff --git a/livekit-rtc/livekit/rtc/participant.py b/livekit-rtc/livekit/rtc/participant.py
index cca7c02c..0314a39c 100644
--- a/livekit-rtc/livekit/rtc/participant.py
+++ b/livekit-rtc/livekit/rtc/participant.py
@@ -15,7 +15,8 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 import ctypes
-from typing import List, Union
+from typing import List, Mapping, Union
+from abc import abstractmethod, ABC
 
 from ._ffi_client import FfiClient, FfiHandle
 from ._proto import ffi_pb2 as proto_ffi
@@ -61,18 +62,18 @@ def __init__(self, message: str) -> None:
         self.message = message
 
 
-class Participant:
+class Participant(ABC):
     def __init__(self, owned_info: proto_participant.OwnedParticipant) -> None:
         self._info = owned_info.info
         self._ffi_handle = FfiHandle(owned_info.handle.id)
-        self._track_publications: dict[str, TrackPublication] = {}
 
     @property
-    def track_publications(self) -> dict[str, TrackPublication]:
+    @abstractmethod
+    def track_publications(self) -> Mapping[str, TrackPublication]:
         """
         A dictionary of track publications associated with the participant.
         """
-        return self._track_publications
+        ...
 
     @property
     def sid(self) -> str:
@@ -111,7 +112,14 @@ def __init__(
     ) -> None:
         super().__init__(owned_info)
         self._room_queue = room_queue
-        self.track_publications: dict[str, LocalTrackPublication] = {}  # type: ignore
+        self._track_publications: dict[str, LocalTrackPublication] = {}  # type: ignore
+
+    @property
+    def track_publications(self) -> Mapping[str, LocalTrackPublication]:
+        """
+        A dictionary of track publications associated with the participant.
+        """
+        return self._track_publications
 
     async def publish_data(
         self,
@@ -330,7 +338,7 @@ async def publish_track(
             track_publication = LocalTrackPublication(cb.publish_track.publication)
             track_publication.track = track
             track._info.sid = track_publication.sid
-            self.track_publications[track_publication.sid] = track_publication
+            self._track_publications[track_publication.sid] = track_publication
 
             queue.task_done()
             return track_publication
@@ -361,7 +369,7 @@ async def unpublish_track(self, track_sid: str) -> None:
             if cb.unpublish_track.error:
                 raise UnpublishTrackError(cb.unpublish_track.error)
 
-            publication = self.track_publications.pop(track_sid)
+            publication = self._track_publications.pop(track_sid)
             publication.track = None
             queue.task_done()
         finally:
@@ -374,7 +382,14 @@ def __repr__(self) -> str:
 class RemoteParticipant(Participant):
     def __init__(self, owned_info: proto_participant.OwnedParticipant) -> None:
         super().__init__(owned_info)
-        self.track_publications: dict[str, RemoteTrackPublication] = {}  # type: ignore
+        self._track_publications: dict[str, RemoteTrackPublication] = {}  # type: ignore
+
+    @property
+    def track_publications(self) -> Mapping[str, RemoteTrackPublication]:
+        """
+        A dictionary of track publications associated with the participant.
+        """
+        return self._track_publications
 
     def __repr__(self) -> str:
         return f"rtc.RemoteParticipant(sid={self.sid}, identity={self.identity}, name={self.name})"
diff --git a/livekit-rtc/livekit/rtc/room.py b/livekit-rtc/livekit/rtc/room.py
index deafb828..8e3e7f51 100644
--- a/livekit-rtc/livekit/rtc/room.py
+++ b/livekit-rtc/livekit/rtc/room.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 import ctypes
 import logging
 from dataclasses import dataclass, field
-from typing import Callable, Dict, Literal, Optional, cast
+from typing import Callable, Dict, Literal, Optional, cast, Mapping
 
 from .event_emitter import EventEmitter
 from ._ffi_client import FfiClient, FfiHandle
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ def connection_state(self) -> ConnectionState.ValueType:
         return self._connection_state
 
     @property
-    def remote_participants(self) -> dict[str, RemoteParticipant]:
+    def remote_participants(self) -> Mapping[str, RemoteParticipant]:
         """Gets the remote participants in the room.
 
         Returns:
@@ -389,7 +389,7 @@ def on_participant_connected(participant):
             # add the initial remote participant tracks
             for owned_publication_info in pt.publications:
                 publication = RemoteTrackPublication(owned_publication_info)
-                rp.track_publications[publication.sid] = publication
+                rp._track_publications[publication.sid] = publication
 
         # start listening to room events
         self._task = self._loop.create_task(self._listen_task())
@@ -466,13 +466,13 @@ def _on_room_event(self, event: proto_room.RoomEvent):
                 event.track_published.participant_identity
             ]
             rpublication = RemoteTrackPublication(event.track_published.publication)
-            rparticipant.track_publications[rpublication.sid] = rpublication
+            rparticipant._track_publications[rpublication.sid] = rpublication
             self.emit("track_published", rpublication, rparticipant)
         elif which == "track_unpublished":
             rparticipant = self._remote_participants[
                 event.track_unpublished.participant_identity
             ]
-            rpublication = rparticipant.track_publications.pop(
+            rpublication = rparticipant._track_publications.pop(
                 event.track_unpublished.publication_sid
             )
             self.emit("track_unpublished", rpublication, rparticipant)