Ten Steps for Accessible Slides
Slide decks are like any other document in that they need to be accessible.
To ensure your slide decks are accessible, follow these steps:
- Use High-Contrast Color Schemes: Choose color combinations for text and backgrounds that provide sufficient contrast, making content readable for individuals with visual impairments. Tools like PowerPoint's built-in accessibility checker can help identify contrast issues.
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Provide Alt Text for Images and Non-Text Elements: For every image, chart, shape, or other non-text element, add descriptive alternative text. This text is read aloud by screen readers, conveying the visual information to users who cannot see it.
- How to: Right-click the image/object, select "Edit Alt Text...", and write a concise, informative description.
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Structure Content with Proper Heading Styles: Use PowerPoint's built-in heading styles (e.g., Title, Subtitle, Section Header) to organize your content hierarchically. This allows screen readers to navigate the presentation logically.
- How to: Select text and apply styles from the "Home" tab in the "Styles" group.
- Use Ordered and Unordered Lists: When presenting lists of information, use PowerPoint's native bulleted or numbered list features. This ensures screen readers correctly interpret the list structure.
- Choose Accessible Fonts and Font Sizes: Select clear, sans-serif fonts (e.g., Arial, Calibri, Verdana) and ensure the font size is large enough for easy readability, generally 18pt or larger for body text.
- Add Captions or Transcripts for Audio/Video: If you embed any audio or video content, provide captions for spoken dialogue and sound effects, and offer full transcripts for the entire media.
- Avoid Conveying Information Solely Through Color: Do not rely on color alone to communicate important information. For example, if using color to highlight a point, also use text, an icon, or a pattern to convey the same meaning.
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Run the Accessibility Checker: PowerPoint has a built-in Accessibility Checker that can identify many common accessibility issues.
- How to: Go to "File" > "Info" > "Check for Issues" > "Check Accessibility". Review the results and follow the recommendations.
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Set Reading Order (if necessary): For complex slides with multiple objects, manually check and adjust the reading order to ensure screen readers present content in a logical sequence.
- How to: Go to "Home" tab, "Arrange" group, "Selection Pane". Reorder elements by dragging them up or down.
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Use Meaningful Hyperlink Text: Instead of just pasting a URL, use descriptive text for hyperlinks that clearly indicates the link's destination.
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Example: Instead of "Click here:
www.example.com", use "Visit the Example Website".
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Example: Instead of "Click here:
Additional Tips
You can also use speaker notes for additional context. Speaker notes are accessible to screen readers and can be used to provided additional details, complex image descriptions, and contextual information that might not fit on a slide.
Use the pre-defined slide layouts. Both Powerpoint and Google Slides' pre-defined layouts (e.g., "Title and Body," "Title Only") are designed to establish a logical reading order for screen readers. Avoid inserting standalone text boxes, as their content may not be read correctly by assistive technologies.
Also, the "Title" placeholder in your layout should be filled in, and make sure your slide title is unique and descriptive. Each slide should have a clear title that accurately reflects its content. This helps screen reader users navigate the presentation effectively. If you have multiple slides on the same topic, consider numbering them (e.g., "Topic Name (1 of 3)").