PowerPoint Presentation Accessibility Checklist & Guidance
Introduction
To create an accessible Microsoft Word document for posting on the VDOE website, the checklist and guidance provided must be followed. Before creating an accessible PowerPoint, consider adapting the information into webpage content. Read Web Content Options: Webpage, Word or PDF? for more guidance on selecting the proper format for your content.
Checklist
The following checklist outlines the recommended steps to ensure PowerPoint presentations are ADA compliant. Detailed information about each checklist item is provided in this guidance section. For a printable version, you can also download the VDOE PowerPoint Presentation Accessibility Checklist handout-This is a Word document. (Word).
File Formatting
- Set File Type & Name
- Is the file saved as a .pptx?
- Is the file name lowercase with hyphens for spaces and contains NO special characters?
- Is the document file name concise, generally limited to 25 characters, and does it make the contents of the file clear?
- Provide Document Title
- Does the file have a document title?
- Identify Document Language
- Is the document language identified?
Text Formatting
- Use Appropriate Font Style & Size
- Trebuchet or Times New Reoman are recommended for body type that is no smaller than 24 point and no larger than 48 point. Headings can be up to 60 point.
- Use Built-in Lists
- Are lists (bulleted and numbered) created with the built-in features in PowerPoint?
- Create Unambiguous Names for Links
- Is the destination, function or purpose described in the link name or surrounding text?
- Have you avoided using “Click Here” or “Learn More?”
Slide Design
- Use Built-in Slide Layouts
- Were slides created using built-in slide layout template slides?
- Use Unique Slide Titles
- Does every slide have a unique slide title?
- Ensure Logical Slide Reading Order
- Has the reading order of slide contents been manually checked for abnormal reading order?
- Avoid Animations & Transitions
- Are animations or transitions turned off?
Color Formatting
- Do Not Rely on Color Convey Meaning
- Is all information conveyed without relying on color?
- Meet the Required Color Contrast
- Is there enough contrast between the background and foreground?
Object Formatting
- Include Alternative Text for Images & Objects
- If the picture, clipart, chart, graph, shape or SmartArt graphic conveys information, is alternative text provided?
- If the picture, clipart or shape is added for visual emphasis or decoration, is “decorative” entered as the alternative text? (Note: Decorative images do not have to be placed inline.)
- Are multiple associated images on the same page (e.g., boxes in an organizational chart) grouped as one object with one alternative text?
- Use Tables for Data Only
- Is there only one row of headers set?
- Is the table simple with no nested tables, merged or split cells, or blank cells for formatting?
- If the table is complex, is a description provided?
Ensure Accessibility Compliance
- Ensure that Embedded Media is Compliant
- Are embedded media and objects avoided?
- If embedded media or objects must be used, is alternative text, a separate file or link and verbatim transcript Word document provided?
- Test for Compliance
- Was the document checked using the built-in Microsoft accessibility checker?
- Can you navigate the presentation using only the keyboard?
- Provide Accessible Alternative Versions (AAV)
- Is a verbatim transcript provided for the narrated presentation as a Word document?
- Has a separate accessible version of the document been provided when there is no other way to make the content accessible? (Example: Organization Chart)