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Introduction to Making Accessible PowerPoint Presentations

PowerPoint presentations are an easy and efficient way to share information in the classroom and at conferences. Making your presentation accessible assures that all people including those who are blind or have low vision, deaf or hard of hearing, and other sensory processing disorders can still participate with the information being shared in the PowerPoint.

The Basics of Creating Accessible PowerPoint Presentations

Slide Format Guidelines:

  1. Titles: the titles of each of your slides need to be entirely unique
    • Use labels such as Cont. and 1 of 3 to distinguish multiple slides covering the same topic.
  2. Content: the content on each slide should be concise to not overwhelm the viewer.
    • Additional information needed to expand on ideas brought up in the slide can be added in the speaker notes.
  3. Text Font, Size, and Color: the following are guidelines for accessible text
    • Font should be size 28 or higher; sticking to this will help keep your content concise.
    • Text should be in high contrast colors compared to the background (see泭Color Contrast Guide).
      • Similarly, you do not want to use the common colorblindness combinations together (i.e. red/green, blue/yellow, and purple/orange).
    • Use simple fonts: avoid fonts with decorative edges
    • Numbered lists are more accessible than bullets
  4. Lists: all lists need to be numbered using the list feature.

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Transitions and Animations:

While useful to break up monotony in a presentation, transitions and animations can also create accessibility issues.

  1. Transitions occur between slides:
    • Transitions should be quick and unobtrusive
    • Avoid泭the use of flashing, zooming, or spinning transitions
  2. Animations are stylistic modifications to the presentation of the content.
    • Animations should be quick and should not hinder the ability to read the content.
    • Animations should never remove content from a slide.

Inserting Multimedia (Audio, Videos and Images)

Note: For online classes over Teams, we recommend not using the PowerPoint video player because its captions do not always work correctly over Teams. Instead, view the video and captions using an internet browser.

  1. 唬梭勳釵域泭Insert; the tool-ribbon at the top of the screen will show you a list of options
    • This is where you will go to insert tables, charts, images, videos, or audio clips.
    • Inaccessible Features (do not insert these as they will be inaccessible): WordArt, SmartArt, Zoom, and 3D Models.
  2. 捩娶棗措勳餃梗泭transcripts for any included audio clips
  3. Review泭any displayed videos for captions;
    • If captions are present,泭釵娶梗硃喧梗泭a title and alt-text for each video.
    • 博勳餃梗棗莽泭cannot泭be provided without captions.
  4. Add泭appropriate Alt-Text to all images.
  5. Add explanations for nuanced images on the slide or in the Speaker Notes.

Use Grayscale to check color contrast

PowerPoint has a Grayscale mode that removes color, allowing creators to check that slides are readable and interpretable even without color.

  1. 釦梗梭梗釵喧泭喧堯梗泭View tab.
  2. SelectGrayscale泭in the Color/Grayscale group.
  3. After reviewing slides,泭selectBack to Color View to exit grayscale mode.

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Connect with the Instructional Accessibility Group

Improve your instructional accessibility through the IAG live trainings, access checks for individual materials, or course reviews.

Have more questions or need additional assistance? Email the Instructional Accessibility Group