Presenter Corner

Tips for an accessible oral presentation

1. Use a Clear and Logical Structure

   1. • Verbally describe all the content presented on the slide, without leaving parts for personal reading.

      • Use short, clear sentences and limit the amount of text per slide to key points and ideas.

      • Use a consistent, simple layout for your slides. A grid structure can be used to align text and images clearly and easy to read.

      • Avoid using too many transitions throughout the presentation. If must, please use ‘Appear’.

2. Clear Headings and Key Points

   1. • Use bold or capital letters for headings and key points

      • Organize elements in a clear and accessible format.

3. Ensure Sufficient White Space

   1. • Provide adequate space between text, headings, images and tables to make the content easier to read.

      • Use multiple line spacing (e.g. 1.2) in the body text.

4. Font Size and Type

   1. • Body text should be at least 24pt or larger.

      • Headings should be larger than body text (e.g., 36pt).

      • Use fonts like Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, Luciole.

5. Contrast and Colour Use

   1. • Ensure high contrast between text and background: dark text on a ligh background or light text on a dark background

      • Avoid colour combinations difficult to perceive (e.g., red-green, blue, yellow, red-black)

6. Images and Graphs

   1. • Use simplified images with strong colour contrasts, figure-to-background ratio, and well-defined edges.

      • Verbally describe the educational/informational purpose of the image.

7. Video description

   1. • If you add a video to your presentation, provide a detailed verbal description of the visual elements such as people, objects, actions, or emotions.

      • Ensure the description is timed appropriately so that it doesn’t overlap with important audio or dialogue in the video or play a video that includes both dialogues and descriptions of visual elements.

      • Please ensure you have a proper release form signed if you have students/people in your presentation.

For more support, please visit:

• PowerPoint Accessibility at WebAIM

• Academic English UK: Improve your PPT slides 

Release forms

Please note that if you are using images of students or clients, we ask that you send a declaration form with your presentation. If your organization has a release form for image of likeness (i.e., photos, videos, audio) then we do not need a release. If you do not, please seek permission from the person whose image or video/audio you will be sharing within the conference. 

COPYRIGHT DECLARATION

PHOTO AND VIDEO RELEASE

Questions? 

Contact the team at sbth2026@gmail.com with any questions or comments.

Acknowledgement

The Steering Committee of the conference would like to acknowledge that the majority of the event planning and organization is taking place on the traditional and unceded territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish), səl̓ilw̓ətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), QayQayt First Nation, Kwantlen, q̓íc̓əy̓ (Katzie), Semiahmoo, Tsawwassen First Nations, kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem), and Stó:lō Nation.