Tips for Presenters

Presentation Design
When designing accessible presentations for all audiences, presenters will want to consider the following:

• Text: 
  • Make the text as large as possible, even “less important” text such as data labels, graph axes, legends and footnotes.
  • Consider the font being used in the slides. Sans serif fonts are typically the most readable, particularly for a neurodivergent audience. 
  • Be generous with spacing between letters, words and lines. 
  • Use bold for emphasis rather than underline or italics. 
  • Use mixed case, not all caps.
• Images and Colour:
  • Use high-contrast images and colours. Consider using a combination of colours and textures, especially for charts and graphs.
  • Consider using images or icons where appropriate. This helps break up the text, serve as anchors on the slides, and can improve comprehension for neuro-divergent audiences.

Tip: Print the presentation in black and white. Are the graphics still legible without the colour?

• Slide Layout:
  • Limit slide transitions, which can cause nausea, headaches and dizziness in people with vestibular (inner ear) disorders.
  • Create a clear visual hierarchy of information on your slides by breaking up blocks of text into smaller, more digestible pieces with headings or graphics. 
• Formatting for Screen Readers:
  • Organize content in a linear fashion from top to bottom, left to right. Put key messages as early as possible on each slide so listeners will know they key focus sooner.
  • Write alt-text (alternative text) for all images, including charts. The alt-text should be descriptive, concise, identify the image’s main purpose, use proper punctuation, and use language that is appropriate for the audience.

Tips: In Microsoft PowerPoint, use the Selection Pane (go to the Home tab, then Drawing, Arrange, and Selection Pane) to show you the order in which a screen reader will navigate through your content. Windows also comes with “Microsoft Narrator” pre-installed, which you can use to listen to how the PowerPoint presentation is designed and adjust for improved accessibility. 

The above recommendations also apply for any other materials handed out to event attendees, such as case comments. Ensure that all materials are accessible by screen reader (the majority of Microsoft Word and PDF documents are), and that you have added alt-text to all images and charts. 

Presenters should also be prepared to provide slide decks and any other materials to event organizers at least 48 hours in advance so it can be provided upon request to attendees who would benefit from extra time to review the content prior to the event.

Presenting Tips

1. Have a clear beginning, middle and end. Set expectations up front by providing a brief outline of the information you will be covering. Recap the key takeaways at the end of the presentation.
2. Give the audience time to read your slides. 
3. When using images, videos or gifs:

• Describe all images or charts. 
• Ensure that the video includes captions for hearing impaired attendees.
• Introduce or summarize the visual elements of the video or gif for visually impaired attendees.
• Consider your language, and identify anything that may be considered exclusionary, offensive or ableist. Use plain language. Refrain from using abbreviations, initializations or acronyms unless they have already been explained to the audience.

4. When taking questions, repeat all questions from the audience before answering.
5. If you are being webcast, look directly into the camera when possible.

Adapted from:

Inclusive Design For Accessible Presentations - https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2018/11/inclusive-design-accessible-presentations/

The Ultimate Guide to Accessible Presentation Design - https://www.stinsondesign.com/blog/ultimate-guide-accessible-presentation-design

How to design visual learning resources for neurodiverse students - https://www.fullfabric.com/articles/how-to-design-visual-learning-resources-for-neurodiverse-students