Welcome to the How to Author and Test Microsoft PowerPoint Presentations for Accessibility series, brought to you by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA).

This training is part of GSA’s accessibility program and is designed to help you create Section 508-compliant PowerPoint presentations. You may be more familiar with WCAG—the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines—which form the basis of Section 508. By following these standards, you’ll improve readability, navigation, and compatibility with assistive technologies, ensuring your presentations are accessible to all.

About the PowerPoint Series:

This 13-part series, developed by the Accessible Electronic Document Community of Practice (AED COP), covers essential steps to make your PowerPoint slides accessible. Most modules are under five minutes, with the Module 1 being the longest at about nine minutes.

Looking for a Fast Track Read?

WebAIM offers a helpful article on PowerPoint Accessibility covering the basics to get you started quickly.

Module 0: Introduction and Background

Get an overview of the AED COP and  key steps to make your PowerPoint presentations accessible and conform to WCAG standards.

• Watch Module 0 Video
• Playtime: 3:50

Module 1: Creating the Presentation’s Layout Design and Establishing the Logical Reading Order

Learn how to use slide layouts, themes, and master slides to create a clear and logical reading order for your presentation.

• Watch Module 1 Video
• Video playtime: 9:03

Module 2: Ensuring Sufficient Contrast Between Text and Background

Find out how to choose colors that provide enough contrast so text is easy to read for everyone, including people with low vision.

• Watch Module 2 Video
• Video playtime: 2:38

Module 3: Using Text to Describe Important Visual Information

Discover how to describe color, size, shape, and other visual cues in text so everyone, including those using assistive technology, can understand your content.

• Watch Module 3 Video
• Video playtime: 2:25

Module 4: Structuring Content with Columns Correctly

See how to use PowerPoint’s column tool to arrange content in a way that makes sense when read aloud by assistive technology.

• Watch Module 4 Video
• Video playtime: 2:13

Module 5: Formatting Lists for Accessibility

Learn how to properly create bulleted and numbered lists so screen readers can clearly convey their structure and meaning.

• Watch Module 5 Video
• Video playtime: 2:29

Module 6: Creating Accessible Data Tables

Use PowerPoint’s built-in table features to make sure assistive technology can read tables correctly and provide meaningful information.

• Watch Module 6 Video
• Video playtime: 3:48

Module 7: Adding Alternative Text to Images and Objects

Discover how to add “alt text” to images, icons, and other objects so screen readers can describe them to people who can’t see them.

• Watch Module 7 Video
• Video playtime: 3:13

Module 8: Creating Clear and Descriptive Links

Find out how to write meaningful link text so users can easily understand where a link leads or what it does.

• Watch Module 8 Video
• Video playtime: 3:07

Module 9: Making Important Background Information Accessible

Learn how to ensure key details in headers, footers, and watermarks are accessible to assistive technology.

• Watch Module 9 Video
• Video playtime: 2:28

Module 10: Setting the Correct Language for Text

See how to set the language for your presentation so screen readers can pronounce the text correctly.

• Watch Module 10 Video
• Video playtime: 2:22

Module 11: Making Audio, Video, and Multimedia Accessible

Understand how to provide captions, transcripts, and audio descriptions so everyone can access multimedia content.

• Watch Module 11 Video
• Video playtime:2:20

Module 12: Avoiding Flashing Objects

Learn why flashing objects should never be used, as they can cause seizures and are not accessible. (Warning: This video includes an example of flashing content.)

• Watch Module 12 Video
• Video playtime: 1:27

Module 13: Saving in the .pptx Format with a Clear File Name

Find out how to use clear and descriptive file names to help all users quickly locate and identify your presentation.

• Watch Module 13 Video
• Video playtime: 2:31

Additional Resources:

• VCSU One Stop Resource Hub
• VCSU One Stop Toolkit
• GSA: Creating PowerPoint Templates
• Microsoft: Make your PowerPoint presentations accessible