Creating accessible Microsoft® PowerPoint® documents

One or more of the following techniques are the minimum required to meet Checkpoint 1 from the IBM Documentation Accessibility Checklist for documents created with Microsoft PowerPoint.

Use the most current version of Office XP or Office 2000 and the following techniques to create accessible PowerPoint documents.

• Set the reading order for objects. 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.
• Provide alternative text for images. 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.
• Provide alternate text and a text description for charts and graphs.
  • 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, provide a detailed text description in surrounding text. The description must convey the same information a sighted user sees.
• 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.
• Group graphic objects into a single object. Some images are composites of many elements which 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. 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.
  • Sometimes, grouping will still not result in a single object. In that case, the items should be grouped and saved as a .JPG file. This also results in a smaller presentation size. To convert a grouped object, select all of the objects in the group. Highlight the group and do File - Save as and select *.jpg (where the asterisk is replaced with your new filename). Save the file. When the new images is inserted in the presentation, add appropriate alternate text.
• Copying text or images from Freelance or other applications
  • Text that is copied and pasted from other applications creates accessible text in PowerPoint.
  • When images or charts are copied, the pasted information is an image. Add a text description in the Alternative Text field on the Web tab of the Format Object dialog for images. Add a detailed text description if the image requires a more detailed explanation.
• Copying text or images from PowerPoint and other Microsoft Office XP or 2000 applications
  • Text that is copied and pasted into PowerPoint creates text in the presentation. No additional changes are required for accessibility.
  • When images or charts are copied, provide alternative text for the image. If the image cannot be adequately described using alternate text, provide a more detailed description in the surrounding text. If alternate text had been provided for the image in the original Office document, the alternate text will be copied into Word.
• Formatting Text
  • Use text formatting as an enhancement, not as the only way to convey information. When the formatting (e.g. italics, bold, underline) is used to convey information, it is inaccessible to someone using a screen reader. For example, if you create a table that displays APIs and underline all new APIs, there is no way someone using a screen reader to differentiate new APIs since underline is the only way the information is conveyed. To make it accessible, add another way to identifier such as an asterisk.
  • Avoid using italic text, shadows or outlines as they make text difficult to read for someone with low vision. Choose a sans-serif font, such as Arial or Helvetica that is easier to read.
  • Spell check documents to avoid problems with screen readers mispronouncing words.
• Do not use patterned backgrounds on pages or tables.
• Provide sufficient contrast between text and the page background. For example, black text on a white background or yellow text on a black background.
• Use color as an enhancement, not as the only way to convey information. When color is the only way to differentiate information, some users will not be able to understand the information. For example, if completed items in a table are green and open items are red, they will look the same to someone who is color blind and sound the same to someone using a screen reader. Provide another way of distinguishing the items. For example, add an "x" by completed items in green and an exclamation point by open items in red. If images of checkmarks are used, provide appropriate alternative text so they can be read by a screen reader.

  !=Open, X=Complete

Tools

You will need to install the following tools to test this checkpoint:

• A screen reader.

Techniques