• Google Slides:  use GRACKLE Slides checker to find errors, fix, and verify compliance.  (In Chrome, click 'Extensions menu, then Grackle, then launch.)  (Please share this info with all your slide contributors.)

• PowerPoint:  Use the built-in checker in PowerPoint (File menu, Info, Check for accessibility)

• Pick slide layouts that are appropriate for content - if you need columns, then pick the slide that has column layout boxes.    

• All slides must have a unique title!  

  • Theoretically each slide is a new or separate topic so use an appropriate and unique slide title.  If the topic extends to a second slide, then use 'cont.' or (2), etc. to denote the topic is continued from previous slide.

• Use a true 'Title box' for each slide's title - Do NOT use a text box as a Slide Title box; will cause error. 

  • You must use a slide layout that has a true 'title' field/box on it (this uses HTML code to tag this field as a title -- not the same as a regular text box). 

  • You can copy a true title field/box from one slide to another slide to put a 'title' on that slide, just be sure to make the title unique for every slide.

  • If you absolutely do not want the title to be visible, make the text the same color as the background.

• All images and shapes must have Alt Text on them.

  • Any Text on images must be entered either into Alt text field -or- create a separate text-only doc and link to it with an 'accessible version' link.

  • If using a screenshot with lots of text or data – be sure to put copy the source URL for that image (where you copied the image from) and paste that image URL into that image's Alt Text (then a screen reader user can go to the original image and 'read' it better).

• Slide Background vs. Alt Text -- All images that are added to the slide when editing require Alt Text.  Images that have words/data on them require Alt Text. (Right click on image to add it.)

  • If you have graphics that are only for making the slide prettier or fancier (i.e., like Canva background designs), put those slide design images (with NO TEXT on them) into the slide background ('Slide' menu', then 'Edit theme') -- no Alt text is required on a BACKGROUND SLIDE image.  This ONLY works for design images with NO Text.  Do not put tables or screenshots with words/data on them into the background!  Text must remain editable and backgrounds are not editable.

  • Use simple backgrounds - complex backgrounds can be difficult for those with Dyslexia and cognitive impairments.

• Delete empty/unused slides and text boxes.

• Bullets & Lists -- Use bullets only for a true 'List' -- a list is more than one item.  If only one item, then it’s just a sentence and don’t use bullets.  

  • Shift + Enter can let you move text to a new line without creating another bullet.

  • Use bullet buttons in the toolbar to make bullets - don’t use dashes or asterisks.

  • Use 'Indent' button in toolbar when indenting - don't spacebar or tab text to indent.

  • Don't 'split' lists - a bullet list can be only one column or textbox wide - don't split list into two columns or will cause an error in checker.

• Use proper paragraph spacing with the 'line & paragraph spacing' toolbar button.

  • One blank line using 'Enter' key is ok, but don't use 'Enter' key multiple times to create space after a paragraph.  Instead, use the 'line & paragraph spacing' button to add more space after or before a paragraph.

  • TIP:  Use the 'Align' toolbar button to center text within a text or title box both horizontally and/or vertically.  

• Meaningful Text Links - use meaningful text then paste URL onto that text to make a link.  Do NOT paste URLs directly onto slide.

• Delete empty lines at bottom of slide - If you used the 'Enter' key to make extra lines below a paragraph or list but then did not use those extra lines (they're blank lines), please backspace to delete those remaining, trailing empty lines.

• Use proper Color Contrast for Text and Background.  Use a color contrast checker to verify.

  • Do not use color alone to convey meaning.  Use symbols, icons, text, various line styles (dotted, dashed, solid, dot-dash, etc.) to make meaning clear. 

  • Check it:  If the entire item was only black and white, can you understand the meaning conveyed?

• Use 12 pt. font size or higher! 

  • Use only 1-3 fonts - preferably Sans Serif fonts - these are easier to read.

In PowerPoint

The best way to ensure accessibility tags are exported from PowerPoint to make an accessible PDF:
This method seems to bring over more accessibility fixes…

1. Click ‘File’ menu, then ‘Save as’

2. Choose ‘PDF’ in the file dropdown THEN

3. Click ‘More options’ link right below file format dropdown

4. When the ‘Save As’ dialog box opens, click the ‘Options’ button…

5. In the Options window, make sure ‘Document structure tags for accessibility’ IS checked.
   (You should only need to check this checkbox one time then it should remember this setting.)

In Google Slides

1. Use Grackle checker to verify accessibility (‘Extensions menu, launch Grackle). 

2. In Grackle, click the ‘Export to PDF’ button at the top right of the Grackle checker.
   This is the only way to make sure accessibility fixes are maintained when exporting from Google!
   Use this Export PDF button!