Make digital tools work for you
Everyone uses technology differently. UWE offers staff and students various tools to help with work, research, and study. These tools have settings that you can customise to suit your needs. This series of blog posts will introduce useful accessibility tips for different digital tools.
Working with PowerPoint
Other than the Internet itself, PowerPoint, is one of our most used teaching and learning digital technologies. It has grown into a complex tool, offering many opportunities for creative use. This means it’s easy to unintentionally make your PowerPoints inaccessible.
Learning a little about how it works, together with some basic accessibility considerations, can instantly improve your own and your audiences’ experiences.
Caveat: This post is focused on the basics of building your presentations accessibly. You should also consider accessibility in your presentation delivery, whether synchronous/asynchronous, in person, hybrid or online.
Accessible PowerPoint CC 3.01mins YouTube Transcript txt file
PowerPoint creation accessible practice
Think about when you last did training in the use of PowerPoint. If it’s some time ago you should look again, as it’s always changing and offering new features.
One of these features we should all use, is the Slide Master View with Layout Masters. You use these to set the styling for your entire PPTX. Anything you add to the Slide Master appears on all slides in the presentation. The various Layout slides are formatted below the Slide Master.
Key features
The key accessible design practices you need to adopt and check in PowerPoint are:
- Navigation (Use Outline View to check every slide has a unique title and is in correct order)
- Logical Reading Order (Order is read by assistive technologies such as screen readers and dyslexic software, linearly from top to bottom)
- Alt Text (Visuals – Charts, Graphs, Diagrams, Tables and Images. Group complex layered visuals)
- Colour and Contrast (Applies to Text and visuals e.g. Charts, Graphs, Tables, Diagrams)
- Closed Captions (Check embedded videos for correct Closed Captions)
- Use the Accessibility Checker Assistant
Get started
- Slide Masters and Layout Masters CC 6.07mins YouTube Transcript Word Docx
- Micro Slide and Layout Masters Basic CC 2.04mins YouTube Transcript Word docx
Use the Slide Master View (under View Tab) with Layout Masters for coherent styling across your PowerPoint. Anything you add or alter on the Slide Master appears on background layer on all slides in your presentation. You shouldn’t need to edit the Slide Master.
Layout Masters appear below the slide master. These are the ones you are most likely to edit.
You edit slide and layout masters in Slide Master view. If you cannot edit an element in Normal view, it is likely it is set on the Slide master or a Layout master. To edit the element, you must switch to Slide Master view.
Save yourself work
Edit your slide and layout masters’ before you start to create individual slides. Then all your custom edits will be in the slide layouts as you select them. This sets up an improved workflow for future edits of your resources.
- Use Outline View (under View Tab) to check for unique and missing Slide titles/Section names and navigation flow as you go.
- Use the Accessibility Checker as you work. Access the errors listed and the learning tips on why and how to fix them.
- Logical Reading Order CC 4.42mins YouTube Transcript Word docx
- ALT text and Media
- Colour and contrast
- Tables
- Document Access
- Always edit for accessibility in your Microsoft documents, before you add to your Blackboard modules. It is the most efficient workflow, as you cannot edit for most issues within Blackboard.
Tip: Under either Review Tab > Check Accessibility or Slide Show Tab check Always use Subtitles check box, then set Subtitle Settings. Select Language and Microphone input and select Below slide for captions display (Default option). Deaf/HoH and neurodivergent people with processing disorders, rely on visual cues from speaker with the captions. This option means the face is closer to the text, so easier to follow.
Further support
For those who like a document checklist reminder whilst working PowerPoint working inclusively with checklist.docx. Use the Navigation Pane Headings to skip to content as you go.
Microsoft support articles for both Windows and Mac Operating systems.
- Microsoft Get support from the Disability Answer Desk
- Microsoft Improve accessibility with the Accessibility Checker
- Microsoft Improve accessibility in your documents with the Accessibility Assistant
- Microsoft Make your presentation easier for people to see and understand
- Make your presentation work with a screen reader
- Microsoft Accessibility features in video and audio playback on PowerPoint
- Microsoft Add captions and subtitles to your presentation
- Microsoft Add closed captions or subtitles to media in PowerPoint
Training
The Learning and Development Centre (LDC) offers a range from Introductory Accessible documents (instructor led) to LinkedIn Learning online micro courses on PowerPoint and Microsoft Office.