Document Properties and Accessible Fonts

This section will introduce some first steps to making PowerPoint presentations accessible.

Document Properties

The document title is announced to assistive technology and is more informative (and pleasant to hear) than the file name. Adding a plain language title to the metadata allows continued adherence to file naming conventions. Ensure the language code matches the language of the document. Other fields are useful but not required.

Document Title

To add a document title:

1. Navigate to File > info.
   • On MacOS: File > Properties > Summary tab.
2. Enter a descriptive title in the Title field.

This cannot be done in Office Online.

Document Language

To set document language to match content:

1. Click language on the Status Bar at the bottom of the document screen or via Tools > Language
2. You can set a different language for different parts of your document:
   1. Select desired text.
   2. Via the Review tab, select Language.
   3. Select the appropriate language.

Accessible Font

• Use font size 18 minimum
• Use an accessible colour
  • The font must have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 against the background
• Do not rely on colour alone to convey meaning or importance
  • Select View > Greyscale to see if your information relies on colour alone
  • Select Back to Colour View to return to the original colour scheme view
• Left-align text
• Use built-in tools for spacing and alignment

Font Colour

To set font colour:

1. Navigate to the Home tab.
2. Select Font Colour.
3. Click Automatic.

Do not use colour as the only means of communication.

Visit the Colour and Contrast chapter of this Pressbook for more information.

Text Alignment

To set text alignment:

• Set alignment in the Paragraph tools on the Home tab.
• Avoid justified alignment as it can create excessive blocks of white space when zoomed and can create ‘rivers of white space’, which are gaps that appear to run through a paragraph due to the coincidental alignment of spaces.