Microsoft PowerPoint
Important Highlights
Titles: each slide should have a unique title in a Title box; if a topic takes more than one slide, add "(1 of 3)" or "(continued)" at the end of the titles for subsequent slides.
Reading Order: ensure that the content of your slides is read in the correct order by clicking the "Arrange" option in the "Home" tab; in the pane that appears, ensure that the order listed is the reverse of how it should be (assistive technologies will read the content from last to first on this list).
Hyperlinks: avoid using statements such as "click here" and "this link"; instead, use descriptive text for your hyperlinks so that those using assistive technologies know what they are clicking on.
Use of Color: ensure that the colors you use are of sufficient contrast; one good way to test this is to print the page in black and white and confirm that the differences can still be interpreted; WebAIM's Contrast Checker is also a good resource.
Alt Text: add alt text to visual content including tables, images, and graphs; right click on the content, select "Format [content type]", in the pane that appears select "Layout & Properties", and type your alt text into the description section.
Titles
Slide titles make it easier for users, particularly those using assistive technology, to navigate through a presentation so it is important that each slide has a unique title.
First, it is important to ensure that each slide contains a title text box.
New Presentations:
Add a new slide with a "Title" text box.
Enter a unique title in the "Title" text box on the slide.
Text boxes can be moved and the text can be edited once a title box has been identified.
DO NOT delete the boxes and replace them - this removes any background metadata that the screen reader recognizes as a title text box and the slide may not read correctly.
Edit Existing Presentations:
On the "Home" tab, find the "Slides" group.
Click "Reset" to restore slide placeholders for the selected slide.
Type a unique name in the "Title" text box that is present on the slide.
Text boxes can be moved and the text can be edited once a title box has been identified.
If you do not want the title to be visible on the slide, there is an option.
On the "Home" tab, find the "Drawing" group.
Click "Arrange".
Select "Selection Pane". This will open the Selection pane to the right of the slide.
Click the eye icon next to the text box to toggle its visibility. Assistive technology will still pick up on the metadata of the title, but it will not be visible to users.
Titles.mp4Reading Order
Reading order allows screen readers to "view" a presentation in logical order.
On the "Home" tab, find the "Drawing" group.
Click "Arrange".
Select "Selection Pane". This will open the Selection pane to the right of the slide.
Objects listed will be read by screen readers backwards, beginning with the bottom list item and ending with the top list item.
Correct any out of order items using the "Re-order" arrows next to the "Show all/Hide all" buttons or by holding and dragging each component.
Reading Order.mp4Hyperlinks
Hyperlinks are important to send a reader to more information, but the reader should know where they are going when they click the link and why.
Always use descriptive hyperlinks.
"Click here to learn more" doesn't help a person know where the link will take them.
Try to make the hyperlink a few words long so that people with weak motor skills can still use the mouse to click.
Hyperlink URL addresses should begin with http:// or https://.
Ensure that the content that the link takes the reader to is also accessible.
Use of Color
A significant portion of the population has some form of color blindness. It is important to not rely solely on color to convey the necessary information.
Partner color with other meaningful information like text, shape, or pattern.
Use high contrasting colors. If you're unsure if your colors contrast enough, check out WebAIM's online contrast checker.
One great way to check this is printing the presentation or document in black and white and reviewing - can the meaning still be understood without color?
Alt Text
When descriptive text is added to any visual element, communication is clear and direct because users can read and know the exact information others want them to know. Without descriptive text, communication is indirect and unclear because it relies on the user to be able to see and interpret the information in the picture.
Right click on the content
Select "Format [content type]"
In the pane that appears select "Layout & Properties"
Select "Alt Text"
Type your alt text into the description section
Alt Text.mp4Additional Considerations
Avoid serif fonts and italics unless it is required by specific formatting guidelines such as APA or MLA.
Use styles embedded in PowerPoint for bullets and numbered lists.
Use the Columns feature in PowerPoint for laying out text in multiple columns as opposed to using the tab button or tables to format.
DO NOT use tables to format a slide. Tables should be used to represent data only.
Accessibility Checker
All Microsoft Office products have a built-in Accessibility Checker to help ensure that the document is accessible. The Accessibility Checker for PowerPoint is accessed in the same way as that for Microsoft Word.
Click on the "File" tab.
If needed, click "Info" at the top of the navigation pane that appears to the left of the screen. Usually, it will automatically open to the "Info" section.
Click the "Check for Issues" square towards the middle of the screen.
Click "Check Accessibility".
An Accessibility Checker pane will open to the right of the document.
When clicking on an issue listed in the Accessibility Checker pane, "Additional Information" will appear at the bottom of the pane with a scroll box explaining why the issue should be fixed as well as how to fix it.
Edit all errors/warnings listed in the Accessibility Checker pane as directed.
Accessibility Checker.mp4