What is it?
Accessible presentations and slides are designed so learners can perceive, understand, and navigate the information being presented in multiple ways. Accessible slides use readable text, sufficient contrast, clear layouts, meaningful headings, alternative text for important images, accessible reading order, and captions or descriptions for multimedia. Digital copies can also give learners closer and more customizable access to information displayed at the front of the classroom.
How to use it?
Keep slide layouts clear and uncluttered, use sufficiently large text and strong contrast, and avoid relying on color alone to communicate meaning. Add alternative text to meaningful images and captions to video, and check the reading order of slide elements. Provide learners with an accessible digital copy when possible so they can use magnification, screen readers, or other personal accessibility tools. Describe important visuals aloud during instruction rather than assuming everyone can see them.
Why use it?
Presentations often combine text, images, diagrams, video, and spoken explanation, creating multiple potential access barriers. Accessible slide design makes essential information available through more than one pathway and reduces unnecessary visual and cognitive demands. It can improve access for learners with visual, hearing, language, attention, processing, and other differences while creating clearer presentations for the whole class.
