Create Accessible PowerPoints
Slide Content
PowerPoint slides can present numerous content types including text, images, lists, charts, videos, and more. Ensuring slide content is organized and created properly is essential to ensure content is read aloud correctly to users of assistive technology. Using properly built slide layouts creates clean, organized slides and helps ensure proper reading order.
Who benefits from accessible slide content
Learners with dyslexia, ADHD, or visual disabilities may rely on assistive technology to consume PowerPoint content. When the coded order does not match the visual sequence of slide content, the slide will not be read in the correct sequence by assistive technology. Those learners will not have an equitable opportunity to consume and understand learning material.
In the above video example, the reading order does not match the visual order. This can happen when using ad-hoc custom layouts or creating slides without placeholders.
How to ensure proper content order
Use placeholders:
- On the Home tab select New Slide Button.
- Choose desired layout.
- Change an existing slide by selecting Layout on the Home tab.
Work in order to add content to the slide:
- Enter a title in the title placeholder.
- Add content to first placeholder.
- Add content to second placeholder, etc.
- Use built-in tools to add slide numbers or footers, not manual text boxes.
Avoid manually inserting textboxes. If you need layouts beyond the PowerPoint defaults, learn how to customize a slide master.
Z Pattern
PowerPoint assumes content will be read in a Z pattern based on how the English language is read: starting from the top left moving to the top right and then back down to the lower left and across to lower right. A slide could have a visual sequence that does not match that pattern. It is recommended to work under this assumption by adding a title, then left content, then right content, and finally footer content. However, it is possible that the Check Accessibility tool will flag Check reading order as a false positive. Verify the Reading Order pane matches the intended visual sequence.
Learn how to make slides easier to read with the Reading Order pane
For a thorough exploration of all features read the PowerPoint accessibility chapter of the Accessibility Handbook for Teaching and Learning and watch this video on creating accessible reading order.
Clarity and Density
Prefer negative space over densely crowded slides. Chunk information into manageable sizes that allow viewers to process the material and is visually pleasing. Adding an additional slide is better than overcrowding a single slide.
Remember that PowerPoint presentations should be just that, a presentation. A PowerPoint should not necessarily contain all of the information itself, but rather a summary of key topics, themes, and connection points.
Do not strictly adhere to the 6×6 rule that slides should have less than 6 lines with less than 6 words per line (or 5×5 or 4×4 etc.) but keep the idea in mind. Don’t cut information for brevity; edit for clarity.
Aim to create slides that are concise and clear using plain language.
Double Check
Use the PowerPoint Check Accessibility tool to ensure proper reading order.
Next
Move to the next page to understand Accessible Fonts and Colour or select another accessibility practice to learn about.
