Creating Accessible PowerPoint Presentations for Online Classes
So you have a PowerPoint presentation and you want to share it with your class
online. Or maybe you have a PowerPoint presentation from a face-to-face class
that you are now developing for online delivery. There are various ways to
deliver the content of your PowerPoint file online to your class, each with
it's own issues and with various levels of accessibilty.
This tutorial will look at various options for converting PowerPoint presentations
to online versions and discuss the accessibility issues of each. Then we will
look at an export option using LecShare for creating HTML versions of PowerPoint
files.
If you are taking this workshop for flex credit, take the post-assessment
test once you have finished the tutorial.
Below is a linked list of the topics in this tutorial
Can be accessed without purchase of extra programs
Can be read from a screen reader and other assistive technologies
Screen readers read the document in correct order
Non-text elements such as images have text descriptions or captions
Colors should be high contrast between background and text
Choices for online delivery
Following are 8 different scenarios for putting your presentation online. The
choices get better with regards to accessibility as you go down the list. Best
choices are #5 through #8.
Put up your PowerPoint file as is
Not recommended
Requires viewers to have full version of PowerPoint or Free PowerPoint
Viewer (only offered for PC)
Will require that large PowerPoint files be downloaded in their entirety
before viewing
Accessibility factors
PowerPoint files can be used with various assistive computer technologies,
but most screen readers will need the presentation be in an HTML
format to access them. If you post a PowerPoint file on the Web, you
need to also
post an HTML-based
version to ensure maximum accessibility.
Save as a Web page from PowerPoint
Not recommended
Content may not present correctly in non-IE browsers
Creates convoluted and complex HTML -
don't try to edit the HTML document
Accessibility factors
Creates HTML code that uses untitled frames - bad for navigation
with a screen reader
Images do not have useable ALT text
Save as Outline/RTF from PowerPoint
Fast, easy, but very limited solution
Creates a MS Word document of
presentation's text content
All images, charts, graphs will be lost
Accessibility factors
Need for the viewer to open in word processing program, cannot
access from
a Web page
Screen readers can handle these files fine
Any missing elements such as images, charts and graphs will need
to be added manually as text
If the audio portion of the video does not offer the complete content, HTML
text will need to be provided on the Web page that contains the video,
so that the visually impaired can get access to all of the content.
Recommended workflow
There is no perfect solution to the issue of converting PowerPoint files to online
versions. However, creating an HTML presentation – either by converting
the content to Web pages or video delivered on a Web page, is preferable. The
option we will look closely at here is using an export tool to create a set of
HTML files. Keep in mind that uploading these files can be an issue when using
CATE.
Use the pre-defined template boxes to add the title, subtitle, text and images
Cleans up 98% of issues
If you need to add another image or text box, change the Slide Layout
of the slide to add more boxes
Don't ever use the Blank Layout
Avoid Text Boxes from Insert menu
Following are screen shots showing how to access the Slide Layout templates
in the various versions of PowerPoint.
PowerPoint 2008 for the Mac
Click on the Slide Layouts Tab to reveal the various slide layout templates
PowerPoint 2004 for the Mac
From the Format menu, choose Slide Layout to open up the Slide Layout panel
PowerPoint 2007 for Windows
Click on the Home tab and then in the Slides group, select the Layout option
PowerPoint 2003 for Windows
From the Format menu, choose Slide Layout. The Slide Layout panel will open to the right of the interface.
Add alternative text descriptions (ALT tags) to slide images
Add ALT tags to images, charts, graphs, etc. ALT tags are descriptions
of images, etc. that are read back on screen readers for the visually
impaired. In Office 2003 and 2007 for Windows, inserted images
will have the name of the file as alternative text by default, but the
name of the file may not be appropriate text for ALT text. Think of a
concise, succinct description that will supply the student using a screen
reader with the necessary information.
Mac versions of PowerPoint did not have a feature for adding or
editing ALT text until the Office 2011 version of the program with an update to version 14.1 or later. If you are working on a Mac, you have two chioices. One, use Office 20011 and download the latest update or two, add the text descriptions in LecShare, other third party export tool,
or in the HTML.
To edit the ALT tags in PowerPoint 2011 for the Mac:
Be sure you have installed the update to the program to version 14.1 or later
Right-click the image in PowerPoint
Select the Alt Text tab from the left side of the dialog box
Enter text into the Description field
To edit the ALT tags in PowerPoint on Windows:
Right-click the image
From the pop-up menu choose “Format Picture” in PowerPoint
2003 or “Size
and Position” in PowerPoint 2007
Select the “Web” tab in PowerPoint 2003 or the “Alt
Text” tab
in PowerPoint 2007
Enter description in the “Alternative Text” box. Note
that by default, PowerPoint has created Alt text based on the image
file name. Change as needed to be truly descriptive.
Tables
Insert a table into a PowerPoint slide by:
Slide layout tool – click on the table icon in a slide template
box
Insert menu > Table
Do not use tabs, spaces or text boxes to create tables
Imported tables from Word may not be accessible
Use LecShare to incorporate the necessary accessibility information such
as table summaries, and column or row headers
Charts
Insert a chart into a PowerPoint slide by:
Slide layout tool – click on the chart icon in a slide template
box
Insert menu > Chart
Don't import Charts as images, as the data will not be in an accessible
format
Don't copy and paste a chart into PowerPoint as the data will need to be
added for accessibility
Converts PowerPoint files to QuickTime Movies, Accessible HTML, Video
Podcasts, Word Handouts
LecShare Lite $39
Converts PPT to Accessible HTML and Word Handouts
Trial versions – you can download trial versions of both Pro
and Lite that are fully functional, but leave watermarks on slides
LecShare Requirements
Mac
Need OS 10.3.9 on Mac
Need separate versions of LecShare for MS Office 2004 and 2008
PC
Need Windows XP or Vista on PC
Need MS Office 2000 or newer including Office 2007
LecShare Pro Limitations
Cannot convert:
Slide animations and slide transitions
Animated graphics
Audio/Video content embedded in PowerPoint slide (as opposed to added later)
Specialized symbols
Working in LecShare Pro
LecShare will not change the look of your original PowerPoint presentation,
changes you make in LecShare will stay with the file for future conversions,
but the presentation quality of the file will not change
Do not have PowerPoint open when starting up LecShare
Open LecShare
Use the File menu > Open command to open a PowerPoint presentation
Upon opening a PowerPoint presentation into LecShare, PowerPoint will open,
then close on it's own
LecShare Interface
The Status Lights to the left of the Slide Previews will give you a quick
indication if there are any accessibility issues in the presentation by showing
a red or yellow light.
Use
the Slide Previews to locate a slide you want to work on. Green highlights
show a slide is OK. Red
warnings
will show errors that need fixing. Yellow warnings flag items that might
need to be addressed and require you to manually check it.
Selecting a slide in the Slide Preview will change to show in the larger
Current Slide view.
The Reading Order Panel allows you to check the reading order and make
changes if needed. This panel is also where you can add descriptions to images,
correct table or chart accessibility issues, or add audio content to slides.
Fixing Alternate Text Missing Errors
Images, charts, graphs, etc. need alternate descriptions
of images that can be read back on screen readers for the visually impaired.
If you need to add alternate text or edit the existing alternate text, follow
these steps.
Double-click on the slide to fix in the Slide Preview area, the Reading
Order/Repair Panel will change to load the editable regions of the selected
slide.
In the Reading Order/Repair Panel, scroll to the red warning for Alternate
Text Missing and double-click on it.
The red warning will change to blue and the Image Accessibility Editor
opens up. In the Alt text box, enter the appropriate alternate text. If the
image is purely decorative and does not convey any content or meaning, click
on the
"null" checkbox and leave the Alt text blank.
Missing Caption/Summary for Tables
To be accessible, a table needs either a Table Summary or a Table Caption
to give the screen reader user a chance to briefly know what the table data
is about before having the screen reader start reading it. Compose a brief
description of the table data to add to the table as a caption, and/or write
a summary to summarize the contents of the table. An accessible table will
also indicate what rows and columns are headers.
Steps to make a table accessible:
In the Slide Previews, double-click on the slide with a "Missing Caption/Summary" error
message to load the slide's editable regions into the Reading Order/Repair
Panel.
Scroll to the red box and double-click on the "Missing Caption/Summary"
message.
Click on the check boxes next to Column Headers and Row Headers as needed.
If there are more than 1 column or row that are headers, use the drop down
menus to set the appropriate number.
Add a table caption and/or summary as needed. Make it a concise description
and do not copy data from the table.
Check on the checkbox "Headers properly assigned" in the lower
left corner of the dialog box. Since LecShare cannot determine if the headers
are set correctly, this will tell the program that you have manually confirmed
that they are set correctly.
Press "Done" to close the dialog box and return to the LecShare
interface.
Missing Caption/Summary for Charts
Charts also need a summary and/or a caption to be accessible.
Compose a brief
description of the chart data to add to the chart as a caption, and/or write
a summary to summarize the contents of the chart.
Steps to make a chart accessible:
Double-click on the slide with a "Missing Caption/Summary" error
message to load the slide's editable regions into the Reading Order/Repair
Panel.
Scroll to the red box and double-click on the "Missing Caption/Summary"
message.
Add an appropriate chart caption and/or summary as needed. The chart summary
is similar to a table summary, make it a concise description but do not copy
data from the chart itself.
Press "Done" to close the dialog box and return to the LecShare
interface.
Title Warnings
If you have a slide without a title, you will get a red "Missing Title" warning.
A slide without a title can be confusing for the person using a screen
reader. You will need to add a title. You can make slide title changes in LecShare.
Also, if you have more than
one slide using the same title, LecShare
will flag it with a yellow "Duplicate Title" warning. Having more
than one slide with the same title is not a major accessibility issue, you
do not have to change it, but it can be less confusing to have slides titled
differently. Evaluate if one slide title can be edited for more clarity, or
perhaps add "continued" to the second slide with the same title if
they are next to each other is sequence.
Keep in mind that changes you make in LecShare do not change the PowerPoint
file, just the way it is perceived by individuals using screen readers. Changing
a title to a slide in LecShare will not change how the text shows on the slide.
To edit a slide title:
Go to the Edit menu and choose "Slide Titles" to open the "Title
Accessibility Editor".
Click once on the title of the slide you want to edit and type in your
changes.
Click on the "Done" button.
Setting the Reading Order
A slide's contents can easily become out of order if text boxes are used in
PowerPoint, or boxes are moved around from their original template position.
In LecShare, the Reading Order/Repair Panel offers the ability to change the
reading order to ensure a logical reading order by screen readers. Changes
you make in LecShare will change the order of how the content is read on a
screen
reader, but will not re-order the visual display of the content.
To change the reading order of slide elements:
Select the slide you want to make a change to in the Slide Preview
In the Reading Order/Repair Panel, click on the region number that you
want
to move
Click on the Up or Down button
Adding Audio to Slides
In the pro version of LecShare, you can add audio to a slide and export a
QuickTime movie version of the presentation that includes the audio. This effectively
becomes another way to create a multi-media version of your presentation. Keep
in mind that all multi-media files will need captions to be accessible. If
you have a transcript of the audio portion, you can input that into the "Notes"
region of each slide in PowerPoint. LecShare will create a "Quick Caption"
of the transcript. If you do not use this method, see Procedures
for making Multi-Media Files Accessible.
The result is an HTML slide presentation with a QuickTime movie containing
the audio. See an
example.
Steps to add audio to slides:
Connect a microphone to the computer and make sure the operating system
is recognizing it (see
Microphone Set Up).
Create
a transcript for
each slide
you wish to add audio
narration to and place the transcript text into the "Notes" region
of the PowerPoint presentation.
In LecShare, open the PowerPoint presentation. Navigate to the slide you
wish to add audio to and click the "Audio" button in the Reading
Order/Repair Panel region.
You will be asked if you wish to create an audio file. Click on the "Record"
button to begin recording.
Speak into a microphone. If you do not like the recording, press the "Record"
button to overwrite the previous recording.
Alternatively, you can import audio files and add it to an individual slide
or a whole presentation. LecShare can import audio in the following formats:
.mov (audio only)
.mp3
.mp4 (without Digital Rights Management)
.wav
.aiff
.au
Steps to import audio for an individual slide:
Open a PowerPoint presentation in LecShare Pro.
Select the slide to which the audio will be imported.
From the "Audio" menu choose "Import".
Choose "This slide only."
Choose the audio file to import
Exporting the Presentation
From LecShare Pro, you can export your PowerPoint presentation in four different
formats – HTML, QuickTime movie, MPEG-4 video and Microsoft Word document.
Following
is a screen shot of the Export dialog box in
LecShare.
You will need to choose which format to save in from the bottom, left of the
dialog box, you can choose as many as you want. Nothing will be chosen by default,
you will need to choose at least one to see more options. The "IMS Content
Package"
format choice exports in a zipped content package that can be easily deployed
in Moodle or Blackboard. For File Depot or CATE upload, click on the Options
button and check on the "Create .zip Archive" option. (CATE users see the Notes
about Uploading .zip Files help document)
After choosing your output option, you will have an Options button to access
more choices. Shown above is the Options dialog box for HTML. "Include Table
of Contents" is on by default. Be sure to turn on "Include Lecture's
Notes" if
you have them, and very important for accessibility is to turn on the "Use
Invisible Skip
to Content Link", so those using screen readers do not have to wait for
all the navigation to be read each time they click to a new slide.
Accessible HTML
Creates a set of accessible Web pages with a table of contents. You can choose
to include lecture notes. The viewer can choose to view the
slide show as one long document or a series of Web pages with navigation. See
example.
LecShare saves a lot of files and nests them in quite a few folders. This
is not an issue for those uploading files by FTP to a server, you can just
grab the root folder and upload all at the same time. It is however, an issue
when uploading to CATE. From the screen shot below, you can see that LecShare
has created
one folder called "html" and nested three folders
inside, one of which, the "images" folder has two more folders nested
inside. Also, be aware that there will be 2 different versions of each slide
in your presentation that you will need to upload. So, if you have 33 slides,
there will be 66 images to upload in the slides folder and also the web_data
folder will have twice as many files as you have slides, plus a few extra.
QuickTime Movie
If you have added audio to your presentation in LecShare Pro, you can choose
to export as a QuickTime movie (see adding audio, above). In
the Options, you can choose the size and quality of the movie with 3 presets
of Low, Medium and High. There is even a choice to embed the movie in a Web
page. LecShare will export an HTML file with the necessary code to display
the QuickTime movie. Text that you input into the "Notes" region
of your PowerPoint file will be used as a transcript to make captions for each
slide. It is important that the notes include all of the necessary content
of the audio, or the captions will not be sufficient to make the movie pass
accessibility standards.
MPEG-4 Video (for video iPods)
The MPEG-4 Video option will create a video that is compatible with video
iPods or other portable video players. The resulting file will not have captioning.
If you use this option, you will need to also export an HTML or QuickTime movie
with captions to meet accessibility standards.
MS Word Document
Create a Word Document with all slides placed as images in the document.
In the Options, you can choose to save your notes as text following each slide,
and you can set the size and quality of the slide images.
