Microsoft Powerpoint - Guidelines for Accessible Presentations

Microsoft PowerPoint is widely used across College as an aid when presenting to staff and students. This section aims to help staff and students create a fully accessible presentation with easy to use tips and help.

These tips should be introduced and maintained for all presentation irrespective of who the presentation is aimed at.

When creating Ms Powerpoint Presentations ensure you:

Slide Content:

• use short concise ideas and content. Use bullet points and lists where appropriate.

• ensure every bullet point or item in a list ends with punctuation (e.g. a Full Stop, Semi-Colon or Comma).

• Ensure the text is a minimum size of 24. Write no more on a slide than you would on a postcard.

For more see Adjusting your slide content

Slide Layout:

• choose the slide layout appropriate for your requirements. Avoid blank slides.

For more see Adjusting your slide layout design

Background Colours:

• choose a high colour contrast between your background and text. But avoid black on white.

• adapt your colours to your venue (if you are familiar with the venue). It is easier to read dark coloured text on a light coloured background in a bright venue, and dark backgrounds with a text light in dark venues.
• put text in bold if using a dark background.

For more see Appropriate Background Colours

Video and Audio Content:

• provide a text transcript for the AV material within the notes field of the slide.

For more see Video & Audio within a Presentation

Video Tutorial: A quick guides to the Do's and Don't's of PowerPoint Creation (length 4m 5s)

Presenting in an inclusive Manner

• consider your pace. Don't speak too fast.
• allow approximately two minutes per slide.
• face the audience.
• use PowerPoint to highlight key terms.
• circulate your presentation in advance.
• vocalise all on your PowerPoint Slides.
• use a Microphone.

For more see how to present in an inclusive manner.

PowerPoint Template (ppt, 198kb)

This PowerPoint template offers a suggested colour scheme and layout for Powerpoint templates. It also offers good practice guidelines so that you can adapt this template whilst ensuring accessibility.

Powerpoints - A checklist of good practice (Word, 401kb)