Creating Accessible Presentations in Microsoft PowerPoint

Microsoft PowerPoint is commonly used to create slide show presentations to convey information in a visual format that can include a combination of text, tables, images, charts, and graphics. For users of assistive technology, screen readers and Braille devices can convey content in a PowerPoint presentation if the author follows the core principles outlined in the Overview of Accessible Documents. The following information includes basic steps for applying these core accessibility principles and for keeping accessibility in mind.

Use Built-in Slide Templates

Built-in slide layout templates are designed so the reading order is the same for people with vision and for people who use assistive technology such as screen readers. They also contain all the formatting, such as theme colors, fonts, and effects. Theme layouts should be adjusted in the Slide Master to maintain accessible formatting for screen reader users. For those who use University of Washington branded PowerPoint templates, users can download the most recent versions that include accessible layout.

Avoid using Text Boxes as they do not show up in Outline View which makes converting PowerPoint to HTML problematic. If there are more than one Text Box on a slide it may be read out of order by a screen reader. Use a pre-set layout from the New Slide drop-down selection options, select the layout that best fits your needs.

Use Unique Slide Titles

Individuals who use a screen reader skim slide titles to navigate; they can quickly scan through a list of slide titles and go right to the slide they want. Using unique slide titles allows them to clearly understand which slide they are on. Avoid using the same title for slides that have spill-over information, consider including additional information such as ‘Slide Title 1 of 2’.

Make Hyperlinks and Tables Accessible

Screen reader users sometimes scan a list of links. Links should provide a clear and accurate description of the link destination. Rather than providing the URL of the link, consider creating a hyperlink with text to describe it.

To keep track of their location in a table, screen readers count table cells and use header information to identify rows and columns. If a table is overly complex, the screen reader loses count and can’t provide useful information about the table. Blank cells in a table could also mislead someone using a screen reader into thinking that there is nothing more in the table.

Set Reading Order of Slide Contents

Screen readers read the elements of a slide in the order they were added to the slide, which might be very different from the order in which things appear. To make sure everyone reads the contents in the order you intend, it’s important to check the reading order by using the Selection Pane. From here, you can drag and drop to adjust the reading order of the contents on the slide.

NOTE: The reading order in the Selection Pane should be arranged from the bottom up. The title should be at the very bottom with subsequent content following it.

Add Alt Text to Visuals, and Tables

For screen reader users, alternative text helps to communicate what is important in images and other visuals. Alt text provides a textual alternative to non-text content.

Use the Accessibility Checker

Microsoft products have a built-in accessibility checker which can help the document author test the overall accessibility of the document. The checker provides Inspection Results, feedback about the importance of each item, and tips on how to repair issues.

Export to PDF

If all of the steps were followed to create an accessible PowerPoint presentation, exporting to PDF properly will ensure heading structure and other accessibility information will remain intact. Users of PowerPoint for Mac should be cautioned that exporting to PDF will not yield an accessible, tagged PDF document, it must be remediated using Acrobat Pro.

 

General guidelines on delivering a great PowerPoint presentation

It is not an easy task to develop a PowerPoint that delivers your major points and is visually pleasing. Preparing your slide content

· Write a script:

Make sure your script follows good story telling conventions: give it a beginning, middle, and end; have a clear arc that builds towards some sort of climax; make your audience appreciate each slide but be anxious to find out what’s next; and when possible, always leave them wanting more

. · One point at a time:

Plan your presentation so just one new point is displayed at any given moment. Bullet points can be revealed one at a time as you reach them. Your job as presenter is to control the flow of information so that you and your audience stay in sync.

· No paragraphs: Your slides are the illustrations for your presentation, not the presentation itself. They should underline and reinforce what you’re saying as you give your presentation — save the paragraphs of text for your script.

· Your first slide should include: the title of your presentation, your name and your organisation.

 · Keep abbreviations and acronyms to a minimum.

· Have a concluding slide that covers the key messages and has your contact details.

Guidelines on the presentation design

· Use a sans serif font for body text. Sans serifs like Arial, Helvetica, or Calibri tend to be the easiest to read on screens

 · Optimum title text is 45 – 55 points and no smaller than 36 points

· Body text should be at least 26 points

· Put dark text on a light background. This easiest to read. If you must use a dark background – e.g. your company uses a standard template with a dark background – make sure your text is quite light (white, cream, light grey, or pastels) and bump the font size up two or three notches.

 · Use decorative fonts only for slide headers, and then only if they’re easy to read.

 · Align text left or right. Centred text is harder to read and looks amateurish. Line up all your text to a right-hand or left-hand baseline – it will look better and be easier to follow. 

· Avoid clutter. 

· Avoid the use of clip art.

· Use images only when they add important information or make an abstract point more concrete

 · If using video, ensure that you load the file itself in the folder with your presentation. Do not link it and then only bring the powerpoint slide. Presentations containing pictures and multimedia can be quite large and it can be useful to compress the file size.

Prior to the presentation

 · Give some thought to your own presentation manner – how you hold yourself, what you wear, how you move around the room. You are the focus when you’re presenting, no matter how interesting your slides are.

 · Even if you email your presentation to the Conference Organisers, bring your presentation on a USB as a back-up.

· Load your presentation at the speaker preparation room a minimum of 4 hours prior to your session

· Check your slides on the speaker preparation room computer with an AV technician.

· Check for issues with formatting

During your presentation

· Open with something surprising or intriguing, something that will get your audience to sit up and take notice

· Keep an eye on the audiences’ body language, it will let you know to move on or create more interest and excitement

· Ask questions: Questions arouse interest, pique curiosity, and engage audiences