Using accessible presentation tools

- [Instructor] Creating and delivering presentations is an important skill to have in the workplace. When you create a presentation, you need to consider accessibility to ensure it has an inclusive delivery format. In this lesson, I'm going to show you how to make your presentations more accessible and make sure no one is left out. Before I dive in, I want to review a few key terms. The accessibility checker allows you to review the accessibility of your presentation. It suggests how to address issues using alternative text with all visual elements. When you use the accessibility checker, you'll see an accessibility panel with four areas - errors, warnings, tips and intelligent services. Errors are elements of your presentation that make it difficult for someone to use. Warnings include content that could be difficult for people with disabilities to understand which could be related to contrast or format. Tips: Address accessibility issues which could be better presented or described. Intelligent services uses alternative text to describe low vision images or graphics. And alternative text or alt text for short is descriptive text which conveys the meaning and context of a visual item in a digital setting. Alt text allows screen reader software to describe the images and other non-text content that a user cannot see. Okay, now I want to show you these tools in action. To start, open the presentation in PowerPoint. Follow along by downloading the sample presentation in your exercise files. It's called Customer Event Example (B). Go to the top ribbon and select review, then check accessibility. The accessibility panel appears on the right of the screen next to the slide. This presentation has errors and warnings. First, I'll select the error icon to see what the error is and how it can be addressed. The error states missing alternative text. This means alt text needs to be added to the image. Select it and PowerPoint takes you to the error on the presentation. Right-click the image and select alt text and enter a short description. It's best to convey the content and purpose of the image with a short description, no more than two sentences long. I'll type, handshake with people. I can also select the generate a description for me button underneath the description box. I'll delete what I just typed. And select generate a description for me and watch the alt text appear beneath the image. Okay, the error is resolved so I can close the alt text box and select recheck in the accessibility window. Select the warnings button. The accessibility checker tells me that there is hard to read text contrast. I'll select the dropdown and select this issue. The table has contrast issues which means the colors are too similar. To fix this, select the table, navigate to the top ribbon and select table. From here, select cell shading and pick a color that has a deeper tone to differentiate the colors. I'll choose blue. I'll select recheck again, and see the warning is gone. When it comes time to deliver your presentation, it's important to consider those with hearing difficulties. Adding subtitles ensures that everyone can follow along with what is being said during the presentation. To add subtitles, go to the slideshow tab on the top ribbon. Select always use subtitles and then, the spoken and subtitle languages in the dropdown. You can also specify where the subtitles will appear and which microphone the app will use. Now when you're presenting, the microphone icon will be red to indicate that it is live and ready for you to speak. It will pick up your voice as you present and the corresponding subtitles will appear. Calendars help people organize their schedules. Make sure to speak clearly and slowly so that your voice is picked up appropriately. If you want to turn off the subtitles during your presentation, select the use subtitles button indicated by a monitor icon on the toolbar in the lower left corner. Try using these accessibility features in your next presentation to help you share your ideas inclusively.