Before You Use a PowerPoint Presentation:

When possible, share your content directly in Canvas. It is often easier for students to navigate Canvas than a downloaded PowerPoint presentation. If you need to use a PowerPoint presentation, use the tips below to create slides that are accessible for all students.

Create an Accessible PowerPoint

To create or remediate your PowerPoint presentation:

  • Use built-in slide templates to organize content.
  • Give every slide a unique title.
  • Use legible fonts and strong color contrast.
  • Add alternative (alt) text to images, charts, and graphics.
  • Use descriptive link text instead of “click here.”
  • Avoid using color alone to communicate meaning.
  • Make slides simple and uncluttered.
  • Include captions or transcripts for video and audio media.

Check Accessibility Before Uploading

Use the accessibility checker in PowerPoint to identify and fix issues such as:

  • Missing slide titles
  • Images without alt text
  • Poor content structure
  • Low color contrast

To check accessibility in PowerPoint:

  1. Open your presentation in PowerPoint.
  2. Select the Review tab.
  3. Select Check Accessibility.
  4. Review the results panel and make suggested changes.

Powerpoint presentation with the Review tab highlighted and the check accessibility option highlighted below

How to Include PowerPoints in Canvas

  • Use descriptive file names when uploading presentations.
  • Organize presentations within modules.
  • Check links to ensure they work correctly.
  • Whenever possible, share the original accessible PowerPoint file or provide content directly in Canvas instead of converting it to PDF.
  • If a PDF version is necessary, use Save As PDF or Export to PDF (not Print to PDF) to better preserve headings, reading order, hyperlinks, and document structure.
  • After exporting, review the PDF for accessibility, as exporting alone does not guarantee the PDF is fully accessible.

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