SAIF: Making Information Accessible

Guidelines for producing accessible printed and electronic information

Accessible PowerPoint for Presentation and Web

• Use the Slide Master to create the basic layout, repeated elements such as headers and footers, and the background design.
• Use the Slide Master to ensure consistent formatting. Text should be no smaller than 24 point.  A non-serif font is preferable.
• Use inbuilt slide layouts or add content using ‘Outline View’ on the left hand panel of the Screen.  Text not shown in ‘Outline View’ will not be picked up by assistive technology.  Text in manually added text boxes will not be displayed in ‘Outline View’. 
• Choose a background that prints or photocopies well in greyscale. Otherwise handouts may be illegible.
• If using a gradated background, check the contrast between text and background across all parts of the slide.  Note that backgrounds are lighter when projected.
• Do not put the “whole story” on the slide.  Instead use bullet points and short statements.  Use the notes page to expand on these.  These can be used by the speaker making the presentation or by readers accessing it online.
• Only use simple graphs, charts and tables that are big enough to be read.  The notes page can be used to expand on their meaning. Complex graphs should be made available as full size handouts.
• Keep graphics and pictures separate from the text.
• Keep animations and transitions as simple as possible.  Avoid flickering or distracting sounds.  
• Provide a link to download the PowerPoint Viewer http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/downloads/default.aspx
• If possible, provide an accessible HTML version of your presentation in addition to, or instead of, your PowerPoint presentation.
• Prior to a presentation and on request, provide a text version to people who only use screen readers to access Word or Plain Text documents.  You can use the “Outline Tab” version to cut and paste into Word or Notepad.
• On request, provide full size copies of the slides, rather than the handout version.

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