Create accessible Powerpoint presentations

Structure

Use pre-existing slide layouts.

• Set the right reading order.

You can find it by selecting 'Home' >'New Slide'. Aside from the Blank option, all of these layouts are built to maintain the right reading order. If you wish to use a custom layout, make sure you have set the reading order using 'Home' > 'Arrange' > 'Selection Pane'. Reading order is in reversed order of how a screen reader would read them: bottom to top, so the object you wish to be read first, should be at the bottom of the list.

• Give each slide a unique and descriptive title or heading.

Screen reader users rely on slide titles or headings to navigate through the presentation. Use layout with heading to give your slide a title. Do not insert a textbox as heading. It is not recognised by Screen readers as heading.

Images and Multimedia

• Use alternative text for images, charts, tables etc.

Make sure alternative text is marked as blank for any images that are purely decorative. To add alt text, right click, select 'Format Picture' >' Size and Properties' > 'Alt Text'.

• Images, charts and tables on its own slide.

• Avoid sounds, animations and transitions (or use simple transitions) if not essential to the presentation.

Alternate format

Trying to catch everything that’s covered in a live or broadcast presentation can be difficult. And, depending on the nature of your presentation, sometimes there's only so much you can do to make your slides accessible. So, it is always helpful to save your presentation in an alternative version, such as a Word or PDF document. These alternate formats can be ported to a screen reader or read on a personal device, like a smartphone, which in turn benefit all students, not just students with disabilities.