Visually Polished Presentations Are Impressive, but Are They Truly Accessible?

A sleek design deserves to be appreciated by everyone. This is why considering accessibility from the start is the key to success. Are you using inclusive design practices to ensure your presentation is accessible for all?

Why You Should Use Prebuilt Slide Layouts

Prebuilt slide layouts are built-in templates in PowerPoint. They provide spaces for your titles, text, images, and charts. They benefit everyone, including those with diverse needs, by:

• Simplifying navigation: Adaptive technologies can read your slides in a predictable order.
• Saving time: Just pick a layout and start adding content—no need for manual adjustments.
• Supporting accessibility: These layouts help to create structured and accessible presentations.

How to Use Prebuilt Slide Layouts

• Open Your PowerPoint Presentation > Go to the Home tab > New Slide.
• Choose from layouts like Title Slide, Title and Content, Two Content, Section Header, Picture with Caption, and more.
• Enter your content directly into these pre-built slides (e.g. “Click to add title”, “Click to add content”, etc.).

Note: Always use prebuilt slide layouts, not text boxes. They maintain reading order for adaptive technologies, support consistency across slides, and make your presentation easier to navigate for everyone.

Reminder: Always check the reading order.

• Go to Review > Check Accessibility > Reading Order Pane and reorder items if needed. The reading order will read from top to bottop - drag items up or down using the arrow buttons.

Can I still be Creative If I Use Layouts?

Absolutely! These layouts help you focus on your creativity by providing a clean starting point while ensuring your slides are accessible for everyone.

Want to make high impact presentations that are also inclusive? Check out the IT Accessibility Office's PowerPoint - Best Practices.

If you need assistance or have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out to us by using the ITAO request intake tool or contact us directly at edsc.ti-it.a11y.esdc@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca.

-IT Accessibility Office