Slide decks are stand alone files like Powerpoint or Google Slides that are primarily text but may have images, charts or graphs embedded. These are documents that will be shared with others electronically.
Note that embedded content like videos, charts, and graphs all need to be accessible at the source. Please use the appropriate document about that content type for details.
These recommendations assume the slide deck will be shared with participants (a best practice). There are additional accessibility practices to consider while giving the presentation using the slide deck that are not covered by the WCAG.
The Five Principles
- Identify Content Types: Styles (headings), Bullets (lists), Hyperlinks. Content types are displayed and labeled consistently.
- Provide Text Equivalents: Alt Text
- Use Color Carefully: Contrast, Sensory Characteristics
- Provide Descriptive Hyperlinks: Link purpose and location
- Use Clear Language: Overview, Concise and specific, avoid jargon
Additional Considerations
- Identify Content Types: Titles (each slide needs a unique title), Bullets (lists), Hyperlinks. Content types are displayed and labeled consistently.
- Provide Text Equivalents: Alt Text, embedded or linked media needs captions, transcripts, and audio description
- Use Color Carefully: Contrast, Sensory Characteristics
- Provide Descriptive Hyperlinks: Link purpose and location
- Use Clear Language: Agenda, Concise and specific, avoid jargon
- Attend to Time: avoid/minimize use of animation (no flashing), avoid auto advancement of slides.
- Provide Consistent Structure: confirm the order assistive technology will read the content on each slide
- Identify the Language: Set this for the document and any sections that are different from the primary language of the document
- Provide error identification, prevention and handling: include contact information on first or last slide
- Typography: minimum font size 24pt; do not use all caps; left align text when possible; use space between paragraphs
- Security: NA
- Verify Accessibility: Use provided accessibility checker.