Documentation checklist

This page provides specific examples to implement the documentation techniques for accessible documents in Microsoft® Powerpoint.

Some users may not be able to access documentation if it is not in an accessible format. The following techniques provide information to create accessible Microsoft® PowerPoint documents.

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The following techniques are the minimum required to meet Checkpoint 1 from the IBM Documentation Accessibility Checklist for documents created with Microsoft® PowerPoint:

1.1 Non-text Content: All non-text content that is presented to the user has a text alternative that serves the equivalent purpose.

1. Provide alternative text for all images.
   
   Example 1
   PowerPoint objects that require alternate text include Clip Art, Objects, Drawings and Auto Shapes. Word Art is an image, but PowerPoint automatically adds the text you type to the alternative text field for the image. When you create a Diagram, the type of diagram (e.g. Pyramid Diagram) is automatically added in the alternative text field however this is usually not a sufficient description and will need to be modified.
   
   To add alternative text for an image:
   • Select the image and enter Format-Object or Format-Picture.
   • When the dialog is displayed, select the Web tab.
   • In the Alternative Text field, enter a text description of the image. The alternative text should effectively replace the image so a sighted user and a blind user would get the same information from the image.
   • If the image is provided purely for visual effect and does not add to the meaning of the document, do not add alternative text – leave the field blank.
   Example 2
   Group graphic objects into a single object. Some images are composites of many elements. This makes the page difficult to read with a screen reader. For example, a background image of the world may represent each country as a separate graphic. As those objects have not been grouped into a single image, this will cause a problem for anyone using a screen reader. To be accessible, the objects should be grouped as a single object. There are 2 ways to group objects:
   • Use the PowerPoint Grouping option to group composite objects into a single object. Select all objects in the group and press Shift-F10. Select Grouping-Group to group into a single object.
   • Add appropriate alternate text.
   Example 3
   When images or charts are copied from other applications such as Freelance or Microsoft Office, ensure the pasted information is accessible. Select the pasted image, go to the Alternative Text field on the Web tab of the Format Object dialog and verify that alternative text has been provided. If not, add a detailed text description. If the image cannot be adequately described using alternate text, provide a more detailed description in the surrounding text.
   
   
2. Provide a text description in addition to alternative text for complex charts and graphs.
   
   Example 4
   Provide a summary in the alternative text field on the Web tab of the Format Objects dialog. If the summary does not include enough information to understand the chart, use one of the following techniques to provide additional information about the chart:
   • Provide a detailed text description in surrounding text. The description must convey the same information a sighted user sees.
   • Add additional information in the speaker notes. In the alternate text field, provide the short description and tell users to check the speaker notes for more information
   • Add a link to the source content. For example, provide a link to the spreadsheet that generated the chart. The source document must also be accessible.

1.2 Information and Relationships: Define information, structure, and relationships.

1. Define document structure.
   
   Example 5
   Use the PowerPoint layout templates and placeholders to add content to the page. Text added to the page using predefined templates and placeholders will automatically be added to the Outline view of the presentation. Text that is inserted using Insert – Textbox will not be part of the Outline view and may not be read by a screen reader.
   
   
2. Do not use text formatting as the only way to convey meaning.
   
   There are no unique examples for this technique in PowerPoint. Please follow the general examples for text formatting to meet this checkpoint.
   
   
3. Identify the purpose of each link in the link text.
   
   There are no unique examples for this technique in PowerPoint. Please follow the general examples for accessible link texts to meet this checkpoint.

1.3 Color & contrast: Any information that is conveyed by color is also visually evident without color.

1. Do not use color as the only way to convey meaning.
   
   There are no unique examples for this technique in PowerPoint. Please follow the general examples for color to meet this checkpoint.
   
   
2. Provide sufficient contrast between text and the page background.
   
   There are no unique examples for this technique in PowerPoint. Please follow the general examples for text contrast to meet this checkpoint.

1.4 Meaningful sequence: Define document reading order.

1. Define document reading order.
   
   Example 6
   By default, screen readers will read objects on a slide in the order in which they were added to the page. Pages with more than 2 items on a page may not read in the correct order, even if they only contain text objects. You can "see" the reading order by displaying the page and then using the tab key to move through the different objects. The tab order shows how information will be read. If the tab order is incorrect, use the following steps to explicitly define the reading order on each page:
   • Tab to the last item to be read. Right click the object border and select Order-Send to Back.
   • Move to the next to the last item to be read and follow the same process until all objects on the page have been ordered. The last item you will order will be the first item spoken on the page.
   • Remember to set the order for page titles and sub-titles.

1.5 Forms: Define form element labels.

1. Provide an accessible label for form fields.
   
   This technique does not apply to PowerPoint.

1.6 Tables: Identify table cells and relationships between cells.

1. Identify row and column headers for data tables.
   
   Example 7
   To create accessible data tables:
   • Do not use tabs or spacing to create tables. While it may visually look like a table, it will not be recognized as a table by assistive technology and will not be accessible.
   • Simple tables created using Insert-Table are accessible without any modification.
   • Complex tables created in Word using Draw-Table and then embedded into PowerPoint are generally not accessible.
   • Add a caption above or below the table to summarize the purpose of the table.
   • Do not use patterned backgrounds on tables.

1.7 Threshold violations: Do not include text or images that flash more than 2 times in a one second period.

1. Do not include text or images that flash more than 2 times in a one second period.
   
   There are no unique examples for this technique in PowerPoint. Please follow the general examples images that flash to meet this checkpoint.

1.8 Navigation: Provide an accessible method to navigate long documents.

1. Provide an accessible method to navigate long documents.
   
   Example 8
   Use the PowerPoint layout templates and placeholders to add content to the page. Text added to the page using predefined templates and placeholders will automatically be added to the Outline view of the presentation. Text that is inserted using Insert - Textbox will not be part of the Outline view and may not be read by a screen reader. The Outline view will enable users to quickly navigate a long PowerPoint presentation.

1.9 Language of Page: Define the default language.

1. Define the language of the document.
   
   This technique does not apply to PowerPoint. The user can specify a language per textbox by selecting Tools-Language to have the speller automatically use dictionaries of the selected language, if available. However, this option in PowerPoint has no interaction with assistive technologies.

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The techniques above are required; the following techniques are recommended to enhance accessibility:

• Spell check all documents before distributing them to users.
• Implement non-essential elements (e.g. running headers or footers, numeric only page numbers) so screen readers can ignore them.

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Test the documentation to ensure that it complies with accessibility requirements. The techniques listed are for Microsoft PowerPoint presentation documents only.

Required test software

• screen reader

Techniques