Accessible Media: PowerPoint
Aisha Wilks and E. Scherzinger
DID YOU KNOW that PowerPoint offers voice-to-text and translation features?
These features make the classroom a more accessible space for everyone. And, it’s easy to make PowerPoint slides more accessible with a few simple changes.
- High-contrast (e.g., black and white) slides with limited clutter
- Use sans serif fonts (i.e., Arial or Comic Sans) in size 18 or larger
- Provide a written description of important images
- Include captions/transcripts for embedded audio or video
Voice-to-Text Subtitles
PowerPoint’s voice-to-text subtitles can help deaf and hard-of-hearing students to follow the presentation.
1. To set up subtitles, move to the Slide Show tab in the Microsoft Office ribbon and click on “Subtitle Settings.”
2. Select the Spoken Language and the Subtitle Language from the drop-down menu.
Note: PowerPoint can translate speech in one language to another for a multilingual audience. For example, the spoken language of the presentation may be in French, but the subtitle language can be selected to be in English.
3. The subtitles appear below the slide by default, but it’s possible to adjust based on the room’s set-up and the audience’s needs.
4. When it’s time to present, switch to Presentation Mode and right-click on the slide.
5. Select “Start Subtitles” from the drop-down menu and wait until “[Listening…]” appears in the bottom of the screen before speaking.
6. To stop subtitles, right-click on the slide in Presentation Mode and select “Stop Subtitles” from the same drop-down menu in which you found “Start Subtitles” (see: step five).
Resources
McMaster’s accessibility resources include tips to improve the learning of students who may experience physical, cognitive, neurological, and/or mental health conditions. See: