Microsoft PowerPoint

Description

Add alt text to visuals in Office 365

The following procedures describe how to add alt text to visuals in your PowerPoint presentations in Office 365:

• Add alt text to images
• Add alt text to shapes
• Add alt text to SmartArt graphics
• Add alt text to charts
• Make visuals decorative

Notes:

• For audio and video content, in addition to alt text, include closed captioning for people who are deaf or have limited hearing.
• To enable right-click on your Mac, make sure that the Secondary click option is selected in System Preferences.

Tip: To write a good alt text, make sure to convey the content and the purpose of the image in a concise and unambiguous manner. The alt text shouldn’t be longer than a short sentence or two—most of the time a few thoughtfully selected words will do. Do not repeat the surrounding textual content as alt text or use phrases referring to images, such as, “a graphic of” or “an image of.”

Add alt text to images

PowerPoint does not automatically generate alt texts for images. If you want to add an image that is an icon, screenshot, or other image that is not a photograph, you need to add the alt texts manually.

1. Do one of the following:
   • Right-click an image. Select Edit Alt Text….
   • Select an image. Select Picture Format> Alt Text.
2. The Alt Text pane opens on the right side of the slide.
3. Type 1-2 sentences to describe the image and its context to someone who cannot see it.

 

Tip: To spell check and correct a word you typed, just right-click the word and select from the suggested alternatives.

Add alt text to shapes

1. Do one of the following:
   • Right-click a shape. Select Edit Alt Text….

 

Tip: You have to right-click somewhere inside the frame that surrounds the entire shape, not inside one of its parts.

• Select a shape. Select Shape Format> Alt Text.

 

2. The Alt Text pane opens on the right side of the slide.
3. Type 1-2 sentences to describe the shape and its context to someone who cannot see it.

 

Tip: To spell check and correct a word you typed, just right-click the word and select from the suggested alternatives.

Add alt text to SmartArt graphics

1. Do one of the following:
   • Right-click a SmartArt graphic. Select Edit Alt Text….

Tip: You have to right-click somewhere inside the frame that surrounds the entire SmartArt graphic, not inside one of its parts.

• Select a SmartArt graphic. Select Format> Alt Text.

2. The Alt Text pane opens on the right side of the slide.
3. Type 1-2 sentences to describe the SmartArt graphic and its context to someone who cannot see it.

 

Tip: To spell check and correct a word you typed, just right-click the word and select from the suggested alternatives.

Add alt text to charts

1. Right-click a chart.

Tip: You have to right-click somewhere inside the frame that surrounds the entire chart, not inside one of its parts.

2. Select Edit Alt Text…. The Alt Text pane opens on the right side of the slide.
3. Type 1-2 sentences to describe the chart and its context to someone who cannot see it.

 

Tip: To spell check and correct a word you typed, just right-click the word and select from the suggested alternatives.

Make visuals decorative

If your presentation has visuals that are purely decorative, you can mark them as such without needing to write any alt text. When a screen reader finds such an image, it simply announces they are decorative, so the user knows they are not missing any information.

1. To open the Alt Text pane, do one of the following:
   • Right-click a visual. Select Edit Alt Text….
   • Select a visual. Select the visual’s Format tab > Alt Text.
2. Select the Mark as decorative check box. The text entry field becomes grayed out.

 

Make hyperlinks, text, and tables accessible

The following procedures describe how to make the hyperlinks, text, and tables in your PowerPoint presentations accessible.

Add hyperlink text and ScreenTips

1. Select the text to which you want to add the hyperlink, and then right-click.
2. Select Hyperlink. The text you selected displays in the Text to Display This is the hyperlink text.
3. If necessary, change the hyperlink text.
4. In the Address box, enter the destination address for the hyperlink.
5. Select the ScreenTip button and, in the ScreenTip text box, type a ScreenTip.

Tip: If the title on the hyperlink’s destination page gives an accurate summary of what’s on the page, use it for the hyperlink text. For example, this hyperlink text matches the title on the destination page: Templates and Themes for Office Online.

6. To apply the changes, select OK> OK.

 

Use an accessible slide design

Use one of the included accessible templates to make sure that your slide design, colors, contrast, and fonts are accessible for all audiences. They are also designed so that screen readers can more easily read the slide content.

1. To find an accessible template, select File> New from Template.
2. In the Search all templates text field, type accessible templates and press Return.
3. In the search results, select a suitable template.

 

Use table headers

1. Position the cursor anywhere in a table.
2. On the Table Design tab, select the Header Row check box.
3. Type column headers.

 

Format text for accessibility

1. Select your text.
2. Select the Home
3. Use the options for font type, size, style, and color to format your text.

 

Create bulleted lists

1. Position the cursor anywhere in your slide.
2. Select the Home
3. Select the Bullets
4. Type the text you want for each bullet item in the list.

 

Create ordered lists

1. Position the cursor anywhere in your slide.
2. Select the Home
3. Select the Numbering
4. Type the text you want for each numbered item in the list.

 

Make slides accessible

The following procedures describe how to make the slides in your PowerPoint presentations accessible. (See Title a slide for related information.)

Use unique slide titles

1. To restore all placeholders for the selected slide, on the Home tab, select Reset.
2. On the slide, type a unique and descriptive title.

 

Hide a slide title

Make a title invisible on the slide, but still voiced by screen readers.

1. On the Home tab, select Arrange.
2. In the Arrange menu, select Selection Pane.
3. In the Selection Pane, locate the Title text box, and then click the eye icon next to it.

 

Set the reading order of slide contents

Use the Selection Pane to set the order in which the screen readers read the slide contents. The Selection Pane lists the objects on the slide in reverse order. When the screen reader reads this slide, it reads the objects in the reverse order listed in the Selection Pane.

1. On the Home tab, select Arrange.
2. In the Arrange menu, select Selection Pane.
3. In the Selection Pane, to change the reading order, drag and drop items to the new location.

 

Use built-in slide designs for inclusive reading order

PowerPoint has built-in slide designs that contain placeholders for text, videos, pictures, and more. They also contain all the formatting, such as theme colors, fonts, and effects. To make sure that your slides are accessible, the built-in layouts are designed so that the reading order is the same for people who see and people who use technology such as screen readers.

1. On the View tab, click Normal.
2. In the thumbnail pane, locate the place where you want to add the new slide, and then right-click.
3. Select New Slide and then select the inserted slide.
4. On the Design tab, expand the themes gallery, and select the slide layout that you want. PowerPoint automatically applies this layout to the new slide.
5. Go to the new slide, and add the title and content that you want.

Use captions, subtitles, and alternative audio tracks in videos

PowerPoint supports the playback of video with multiple audio tracks. It also supports closed captions and subtitles that are embedded in video files.

Closed captions or subtitles must be encoded into the video before it is inserted into PowerPoint. PowerPoint does not support closed captions or subtitles that are stored in a separate file from the video file.

Supported video formats for captions and subtitles vary depending on the operating system that you’re using. Each operating system has settings to adjust how the closed captions or subtitles are displayed.

Closed captions, subtitles, and alternate audio tracks are not preserved when you use the Compress Mediaor Optimize Media Compatibility features. Also, when turning your presentation into a video, closed captions, subtitles, or alternate audio tracks in the embedded videos are not included in the video that is saved.

When you use the Save Media as command on a selected video, closed captions, subtitles, and multiple audio tracks embedded in the video are preserved in the video file that is saved.

To make your PowerPoint presentations with videos accessible, ensure the following:

• Videos include an audio track with video descriptions, if needed, for users that are blind or visually impaired.
• Videos that include dialogue also include closed captions, in-band closed captions, open captions, or subtitles in a supported format for users that are deaf or hard of hearing.