web accessibility presentation ppt

Topics for Web Accessibility Presentations and Training

Note: For guidance on making your presentations and training accessible to people with disabilities and others in your audience, see How to Make Your Presentations Accessible to All .

1. Introducing Web Accessibility

Goal: Communicate the basic principles of web accessibility, why it is important, and who is affected.

Audience: Anyone with an interest in the web, disability, or related topics.

Description

This topic introduces the importance of the Web as an essential communication tool and the fact that people with disabilities and older people should have equal, barrier-free access.

What this topic covers

Access to the Web is an essential requirement for full participation in the information society
Effect of accessibility barriers on people’s access to web based information systems and services
Meaning and importance of web accessibility for people with disabilities and older people
WAI guidelines and resources as the international standard for web accessibility
How to get involved and where to get more information about web accessibility

Resources for developing a presentation

Primary resources.

Introduction to Web Accessibility - explains web accessibility in context; the scope of accessibility; and that accessibility benefits individuals, businesses, and society. Links to resources on accessibility standards, making the web accessibility, and evaluating accessibility. Provides simple examples of accessibility.
How People with Disabilities use the Web - provides examples of people with different disabilities using websites, applications, browsers, and authoring tools
WAI Guidelines for addressing different components of the web accessibility equation
Overview of “Web Accessibility for Older Users: A Literature Review” – includes statistics on the impact and prevalence of ageing
Participating in WAI
WCAG 2 at a Glance - a paraphrased summary of Web Content Accessibility Guidelines WCAG 2

Suggestions for speakers

Discussion: Discuss scenarios from How People with Disabilities use the Web to illustrate the importance of web accessibility.
Video Introduction to Web Accessibility and W3C Standards – 4 minutes
Web Accessibility Perspectives: Explore the Impact and Benefits for Everyone – show selected videos, or the compilation of all 10 videos (YouTube, 7:36 minutes)
Videos of people with disabilities using the Web
Demonstration: Show examples of accessible and inaccessible websites, and the effect they have on access with assistive technologies. Consider using the Before and After Demonstration .
Activity: Ask attendees what kind of accessibility accommodations in buildings, transport, or every day life are they aware of? When they answer ramps, curb cuts, captions, automatic doors, elevators, etc., ask if anyone uses those accommodations other than people with disabilities. Discuss how accessibility features benefit everyone. Draw the analogy with web accessibility.

2. How People with Disabilities Use the Web

Goal: Provide an understanding of how people with disabilities and older people access the Web, and the type of barriers they can encounter. Highlight the importance of web accessibility in an information society.

Audience: Anyone with an interest in the web, disability, ageing, or related topics.

This topic explores accessibility barriers for people with disabilities and older people using the Web. It also gives an introduction to the principles of accessible web design, and an overview on assistive technologies and adaptive browsing strategies.

Broad diversity of people, abilities, skills, and preferences
Impact of web accessibility on people with disabilities, including people with age-related impairments
Accessibility needs and examples of common barriers that affect millions of people
Assistive technologies and adaptive strategies used by people with disabilities
Accessibility requirements and technical standards for web accessibility
Where to get more information
How People with Disabilities use the Web - provides examples of people with different disabilities using websites, web applications, browsers, and authoring tools

Additional resources

Essential Components of Web Accessibility - shows how Web accessibility depends on several components working together and the role of the WAI guidelines
Better Web Browsing: Tips for Configuring Your Computer - references to resources to help people customize their web browser and computer setup
WAI Web Accessibility Resources - includes information about Essential Components of Web Accessibility with a diagram
WCAG 2 at a Glance - a paraphrased summary of Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2
Demonstration: Show examples of using assistive technologies and adaptive strategies, and/or show videos linked above.
Activity/Demonstration: Explore the usage of accessible versus inaccessible websites, while using the keyboard only to navigate; wearing mittens or gardening gloves; very fast mouse pointer; onscreen keyboard (no physical keyboard); blurred glasses; very high browser zoom; no sound; etc. Discuss the difficulties with inaccessible websites and the solutions used in accessible websites.
Tip: Give accessibility a human face, for example by relating it to older relatives, such as grandparents, who may be encountering accessibility barriers as they go online.
Tip: Suggest participants repeat the activity/demonstration on other websites after the session.

3. Components of Web Accessibility

Goal: Introduction to the WAI standards and guidelines for web accessibility.

Audience: Web developers and others responsible for creating accessible online content and applications, accessibility advocates, ICT departments

This topic explores the components of web accessibility, in particular the WAI Guidelines for:

user agents (browsers and media players)
authoring tools (tools used by content authors and web developers)
web content

It covers how these components work together to improve web accessibility.

User Agent Accessibility Guidelines (UAAG)
Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines (ATAG)
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)
Understand the role of each guideline in creating and maintaining an accessible Web
Role of underlying technologies (HTML, XML, CSS, SVG, SMIL, etc.) to enable accessibility
WAI-ARIA for dynamic web pages and applications
Understand how various guidelines and specifications interact to deliver accessibility

Sample presentation

Components of Web Accessibility Presentation (old draft) - can be used as the basis for this topic
Essential Components of Web Accessibility - shows how Web accessibility depends on several components working together
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Overview - an overview of WCAG and the related documentation
Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines (ATAG) Overview - an overview of ATAG and the related documentation
User Agent Accessibility Guidelines (UAAG) Overview - an overview of UAAG and the related documentation
WAI-ARIA Overview - describes the problems that WAI-ARIA addresses, and introduces the WAI-ARIA suite of technical documents
Question: Ask audience if they have ever used velcro , and think about how it works. Each side of the velcro must do a job, one can’t work without the other. Draw an analogy to assistive technologies, adaptive strategies, and accessible web design.
Tip: Remind participants that even if they are not browser or authoring tool developers, they can help improve such tools by requesting accessibility features, especially during procurement.

4. Promoting Web Accessibility

Goal: Encourage web accessibility advocates and support their efforts to promote inclusive design practices.

Audience: Accessibility advocates

This topic provides support for speakers who are promoting and furthering web accessibility within groups of all sizes and in any situation, from formal talks to personal conversations.

Web accessibility is an ongoing challenge that needs a high level of awareness
WAI resources to help you reach your audience
Opportunities to promote web accessibility
Participation opportunities in WAI and other W3C projects
Contacting Organizations about Inaccessible Websites - steps and tips to help report websites with accessibility problems
Why Standards Harmonization is Essential to Web Accessibility - explains the key role that harmonization of standards plays in increasing the accessibility of the Web
How WAI Develops Accessibility Guidelines through the W3C Process: Milestones and Opportunities to Contribute - introduces how WAI works through a process designed to encourage community input and consensus development
Participating in WAI - describes the different participation opportunities in WAI
WAI Working Groups and Interest Groups - listing of all the WAI working groups and interest groups with links to their individual pages
WCAG logos and ATAG logos - how and when to use the conformance logos
Translating WAI Documents - pointer to translation policy; list of existing translations; priority list of documents for translation
Developing Organizational Policies on Web Accessibility - addresses considerations that can arise when developing organizational policies on Web accessibility

5. Introducing WCAG 2

Goal: Provide basic familiarity with WCAG 2 and its benefits.

Audience: Anyone requiring an introduction to WCAG 2 and familiarization with the WCAG 2 documents.

This topic presents the use of WCAG 2 when developing websites (especially techniques to use and techniques to avoid) that will improve accessibility for people with disabilities and older people.

The four basic principles (Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, Robust) under which WCAG 2 is organized
Relationship of the organizing principles to the supporting Guidelines, Success Criteria and associated techniques
Structure of WCAG 2 success criteria and associated techniques (Sufficient, Advisory, Failure)
Benefits of WCAG 2 in relation to internationalization, interoperability, adaptability to emerging technologies, etc.
Tools and documents provided to support practical implementation and testing
How to locate supporting resources through the “How to Meet WCAG 2 (Quick Reference)” gateway
Benefits of WCAG 2 presentation (old draft) - a related presentation to draw from
Understanding the Four Principles of Accessibility in Introduction to Understanding WCAG 2
The WCAG 2 Documents - describes the different WCAG 2 technical documents, to help know where to go for different types of information
How to Meet WCAG 2 (Quick Reference) - a customizable quick reference to WCAG 2 requirements and techniques
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 - formal technical standard (W3C Recommendation)
Understanding WCAG 2.0 - a guide to understanding and implementing Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0
Techniques for WCAG 2.0 - techniques and failures for Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0
WAI Web Accessibility Resources - includes information about Essential Components of Web Accessibility with a diagram.
Demonstration: Show how to effectively access WCAG 2 success criteria, understanding documents, and techniques using How to Meet WCAG 2 (Quick Reference) .

6. Migrating to WCAG 2

Goal: Help people wanting to transition to WCAG 2.

Audience: Web developers, policy makers, and accessibility advocates

This topic provides support for those who have previously incorporated older accessibility standards and are interested in WCAG 2. Guidance to help prioritize, analyze, and document technical and organizational requirements.

Acknowledgement that the basic goals of web accessibility have not changed
Advantages of WCAG 2 as a common target for accessibility
Identification of priority areas for revision based on impact and effort
The need to analyze and relate those priorities to WCAG 2 Principles, Guidelines and Success Criteria
Methods to document the process and update organizational policies and supporting materials
Where to get more information, including WCAG 2 translations
How to Update Your Web Site from WCAG 1.0 to WCAG 2.0 - detailed guidance for designers, developers, and project managers
How WCAG 2.0 Differs from WCAG 1.0 - describes the differences in structure and the different support resources
Comparison of WCAG 1.0 Checkpoints to WCAG 2.0 - lists the new requirements in WCAG 2.0, and shows how each WCAG 1.0 checkpoint relates to WCAG 2.0
WCAG 2 Translations - a list of complete and in-progress translations
Web Accessibility First Aid: Approaches for Interim Repairs - approaches to make the process of improving accessibility more efficient and effective
Planning and Managing Web Accessibility - considerations for the planning process for implementing web accessibility
Tip: Explain to participants that communicating migration plans in accessibility statements helps manage expectations.

7. Designing and Developing Accessible Websites with WCAG 2

Goal: Teach web developers how to create accessible web content and applications.

Audience: Web designers and developers

This topic presents the use of WCAG 2 when developing websites (especially techniques to use, and techniques to avoid) that will improve accessibility for people with disabilities and older people.

Note: This topic could be presented as an introduction (such as part of a lecture to web design students ) or as a multi-day workshop for developers . See also the related Topic 9: Accessibility of Authoring Tools .

Applicability of WCAG 2 Success Criteria to all web technologies, including dynamic content, multimedia, and other formats
Application of techniques to meet WCAG 2 Success Criteria
Distinguishing between the different categories of techniques (sufficient, advisory, and failure)
Using advisory techniques to optimize accessibility beyond the minimum requirements
Using How to Meet WCAG 2 (Quick Reference) to effectively access WCAG 2 Guidelines, Success Criteria and associated techniques
Role of WAI-ARIA for dynamic applications using JavaScript, AJAX, and other technologies
WCAG 2 Conformance - lists the WCAG 2 conformance levels and requirements
Benefits of WCAG 2 Presentation (old draft) - a complete presentation to draw from
Writing for Web Accessibility - tips for writing and presenting content
Designing for Web Accessibility - tips for user interface and visual design
Developing for Web Accessibility - tips for markup and coding
Web Accessibility Tutorials - provide guidance on how to create components that meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)
WAI-ARIA Overview - describes the problems that WAI-ARIA addresses, and introduces the WAI-ARIA suite of technical document
Including People with Disabilities in Design Studies
Demonstration: Show how to effectively access WCAG 2 Guidelines, Success Criteria and associated techniques using How to Meet WCAG 2 (Quick Reference) .
Activity/Demonstration: Explore the failures and repairs in the Before and After Demonstration . Consider carrying out evaluations on the inaccessible pages of the Demo and comparing with the reports provided, or carrying out repairs and comparing with the accessible pages of the Demo.
Tip: Show examples of accessible websites with advanced features, such as multimedia or scripting, to illustrate how accessible web design can be applied to a wide range of websites.

8. Browser Accessibility and UAAG

Goal: Help people understand the importance of browsers and media players in enabling web accessibility.

Audience: Web browser and media player developers, plug-in developers, assistive technology developers, ICT and procurement departments, web developers, accessibility advocates

This topic explains the relationship between user agents (browsers, media players, and other tools that access content), web content, assistive technologies and adaptive strategies. It introduces the User Agent Accessibility Guidelines (UAAG), and explains their importance for people with disabilities and older people.

Note: See also the related Topic 3: Components of Web Accessibility .

Understanding how UAAG relates to other WAI guidelines
Understanding user agents as one of the key components for web accessibility
Principles and checkpoints for accessibility of user agents
How user agents interface with assistive technologies
Adaptive strategies used by people with disabilities in using user agents
Components of Web Accessibility Presentation (old draft) - a related presentation to draw from
User Agent Accessibility Guidelines (UAAG) 2.0 – W3C Working Group Note (not a standard)
User Agent Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 (old standard) - specifies requirements that, if satisfied by user agent developers, will lower barriers to accessibility
Tip: Emphasize the important role of browser accessibility, such as increasing text size or supporting keyboard navigation, especially for people who do not use assistive technologies such as many older people.
Activity/Demonstration: Explore how browsers and media players support adjusting text size or colors, navigating content using keyboard only, displaying captions, and other strategies from Better Web Browsing: Tips for Configuring Your Computer . Discuss the importance of user agents as the point of contact between people and the Web.
Tip: Suggest participants repeat the activity/demonstration with different user agents and websites after the session.

9. Authoring Tool Accessibility and ATAG

Goal: Help people understand the importance of authoring tools in achieving web accessibility.

Audience: Authoring tool developers, web developers, ICT and procurement departments, web developers, accessibility advocates

This topic explains the relationship between authoring tools (editors, content management systems, blogging tools, and other tools that produce content) and web content. It introduces the Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines (ATAG), and explains the importance of authoring tools to achieve and maintain accessible websites.

Understanding how ATAG relates to other WAI guidelines
Understanding authoring tools as one of the key components for web accessibility
Principles and checkpoints for accessibility of authoring tools
Role of authoring tools to manage the accessibility of web content, including user generated content
Considerations for selecting and using authoring tools that support accessibility
Ensuring that authoring tools are themselves accessible to people with disabilities
Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines (ATAG) 2.0 - specifies requirements that, if satisfied by authoring tool developers, will lower barriers to accessibility
Implementing ATAG 2.0 - a guide to understanding and implementing Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines 2.0
Selecting and Using Authoring Tools for Web Accessibility - provides information which may help find improved authoring tools and/or work around the gaps in existing authoring tools
Tip: Ensure that audience understand the wide range of authoring tools, including WYSIWYG HTML editor, word processor, text editor, content management systems (CMS), blogging tools, social media applications, and websites that enable user generated content such as comments and reviews.
Tip: Emphasize the importance of training for content authors and publishers in using the accessibility features of authoring tools to produce accessible web content.
Activity/Demonstration: Explore how accessible authoring tools are, and how well they produce web content. For instance, can the authoring tool be used without a mouse, and does the generated content meet accessibility standards? Discuss the significant role of authoring tools to achieve and maintain accessibility, and the importance that authoring tools are themselves accessible to people with disabilities. Remind participants that there are people with disabilities among developers too.
Tip: Suggest participants repeat the activity/demonstration with other authoring tools after the session.

10. Accessible Rich Internet Applications (WAI-ARIA)

Goal: Provide an understanding of the requirements for accessible rich internet applications.

Audience: Web developers, framework/library developers, assistive technology developers, ICT and procurement departments

This topic presents the use of WAI-ARIA resources and other accessibility techniques to develop rich internet applications that are accessible to people with disabilities.

Accessibility barriers of rich internet applications
Basic steps to make rich internet applications accessible
Relationship between WAI-ARIA and WCAG 2
WAI-ARIA features that help make Ajax, DHTML, etc accessible
WAI-ARIA Roles, States, Properties, plus relationships and live regions
WAI-ARIA keyboard navigation and focus handling
Reminder that HTML 5 does not make WAI ARIA redundant
Know where to get more information, including JavaScript toolkits and widget libraries
Accessible Rich Internet Applications (WAI-ARIA) – technical specification, web standard (W3C Recommendation)
WAI-ARIA FAQ - some frequently asked questions (FAQ) about WAI-ARIA
WAI Web Accessibility Resources - includes information about Essential Components of Web Accessibility and a link to the WAI-ARIA Overview page.
Demonstration: Show examples of making rich internet applications accessible using WAI-ARIA. Discuss some of the current issues, including incomplete support and other open issues that will be resolved when WAI-ARIA is completed.

11. Business Case for Web Accessibility

Goal: Provide an appreciation of the business case for web accessibility.

Audience: Managers and decision makers, ICT and procurement departments, marketing and legal departments, accessibility advocates and others who inform decisions and policies

This topic explores the social, technical, financial and legal factors that influence an organization’s decision about web accessibility. It also provides an introduction to the development of web accessibility policies.

Benefits for people with and without disabilities, including the increasing ageing population
Reduction of development and operational costs, including server load, bandwidth, and maintenance
Improved cross-device browsing, including mobile phones, interactive television, and other delivery channels
The legal and policy landscape, and liabilities associated with not implementing web accessibility
Developing policies, including procurement practices, relating to web accessibility
Case studies, statistic, and figures covering return on investment from web accessibility
Web Accessibility is Smart Business - can be used as the basis for a presentation on this topic
Case Studies of Accessibility Improvements
Statistics on People with Disabilities and Web Use
Accessibility Improving Search Engine Optimization
Example for ROI calculations
Cautionary Tales of Inaccessibility
Web Content Accessibility and Mobile Web: Making a Web Site Accessible Both for People with Disabilities and for Mobile Devices
Web Accessibility Laws and Policies - links to laws and policies regarding web accessibility around the world
Developing Organizational Policies on Web Accessibility - addresses considerations that can arise when developing organizational policies on web accessibility
Discussion: Explore how accessibility solutions are becoming increasing available in mainstream products and services. For example, text-to-speech (speech synthesis), voice recognition (speech input), touch screens, motion sensors, and others in mobile devices, car navigation systems, interactive television, game consoles, and many more. Discuss how accessibility features benefit everyone, including people with and without disabilities.
Question: Ask if anyone has experienced problems browsing the Web with a mobile phone. Discuss the barriers common to mobile device users and people with disabilities , and how accessible web design benefits mobile web users.
Discussion: Explore the international, national, or organizational policies that are applicable to the participants. Discuss relevant laws and policies relating to web accessibility , legal and policy factors in a web accessibility business case, and cautionary tales of inaccessibility .
Discussion: Explore effective ways to increase the adoption of web accessibility within organizations. Discuss the role of key players, such as management, procurement, and local advocates.
Tip: Refer to your local disability organizations for further background on statistics, local policies, and examples of good and bad practices.

12. Improving the Accessibility of Existing Websites

Goal: Assistance for organizations taking the initial steps towards implementing web accessibility.

Audience: Web developers, website owners, decision makers

This topic introduces the process of embracing web accessibility by improving existing websites. The topic also covers how to maintain the website’s accessibility over time.

Considerations for setting appropriate web accessibility targets
Identifying scope and nature of existing accessibility problems
Creating an implementation plan to achieve the accessibility targets
Ideas for prioritizing repairs according to different strategies
Planning for ongoing monitoring and maintenance of accessibility
Easy Checks - A First Review of Web Accessibility - provides step-by-step guidance and brief explanations for checking some aspects of accessibility.
WCAG-EM Overview: Website Accessibility Conformance Evaluation Methodology - introduces an approach for determining conformance to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)
Activity/Demonstration: Explore web accessibility barriers using some of the techniques from Easy Checks - A First Review of Web Accessibility .
Discussion: Explore the failures and repairs in the Before and After Demonstration . Discuss how websites can be made accessible with little or no change to their visual design.
Tip: Suggest participants repeat the activity/demonstration with other websites, including their own, after the session.

13. Involving Users in Web Projects

Goal: Encourage all web projects to involve users from the start.

Audience: Managers, development teams, quality assurance and usability departments

This topic covers benefits involving people with disabilities and older people from the beginning of any web development project. It demonstrates how users can identify usability aspects of accessibility that are not always discovered by conformance evaluation alone.

Benefits of involving users with disabilities and older users in development and evaluation of web sites
How and when to engage users with disabilities and older users
How testing with users can complement the technical conformance to guidelines
Involving users is not an add-on at the end but needs to be part of the workflow throughout development process
Care required when drawing conclusions from observing users
Involving Users in Web Projects for Better, Easier Accessibility - a start to reaping the benefits of involving people with disabilities and older people throughout your projects
Involving Users in Evaluating Web Accessibility - describes the benefits of evaluating with real people and identifying usability issues that are not discovered by conformance evaluation alone
Discussion: Ask participants to share experiences of involving users in their projects. Discuss the benefits of involving users throughout design processes. Help participants identify opportunities to involve users in their own projects.

14. Web Accessibility and Older People

Goal: Help people understand the importance of web accessibility for older people.

Audience: Managers and decision makers, web developers, ICT and procurement departments, marketing and legal departments, accessibility advocates and others who inform decisions and policies

This topic explores the importance of the adoption of WAI guidelines to meet the needs of people with ageing-related impairments. It provides some statistics highlighting the demographic changes.

Facts about the ageing world population and the increasing numbers of older users online
Relationship between ageing-related impairments and web accessibility
Importance of conforming to WAI Guidelines to meet the accessibility needs of older people
Scope and deliverables of the WAI-AGE Project, and resources for industry and users
Web Accessibility for Older Users Presentation (old draft) - can be used as the basis for a presentation on this topic
Web Accessibility and Older People: Meeting the Needs of Ageing Web Users - introduces the issues facing older people with age-related impairments and associated WAI resources
Overview of “Web Accessibility for Older Users: A Literature Review” - the Literature Review informs educational activities and enables better promotion of accessibility solutions for older Web users
WCAG 2 at a Glance - a paraphrased summary of Web Content Accessibility Guidelines WCAG 2.
Web Accessibility Perspectives: Explore the Impact and Benefits for Everyone
Activity: Show some simulations of low vision; get participants to experience some impairments, e.g. using the mouse with other hand and browsing some sites with text enlarged.

15. Web Accessibility Policy and Legislation

Goal: Provide an appreciation of local web accessibility policy and legislation, the need for international harmonization, and the essential elements of an organizational policy.

This topic examines global policy and legal requirements that companies and organizations face as they meet local nondiscrimination and web accessibility laws. It also explores the move towards international standards harmonization, and covers the development and implementation of organizational accessibility policies.

Web accessibility laws and policies specific to the local audience
UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and local implications
Importance and benefits of international standards harmonization for organizations and for users
Legal and Policy Factors in Developing a Web Accessibility Business Case for Your Organization - provides guidance on addressing legal and policy factors in a business case for Web accessibility

Web Accessibility Laws and Policies - links to laws and policies regarding Web accessibility around the world
Discussion: Explore the impact of fragmented technical standards on sharing resources, expertise, know how, and tools. Discuss the benefits of internationally harmonized standards for web accessibility.
Discussion: Explore the international, national, or organizational policies that are applicable to the participants. Discuss relevant policies relating to web accessibility , legal and policy factors in a web accessibility business case, and cautionary tales of inaccessibility .

16. Preliminary Check for Web Accessibility

Goal: Introduce the concept of a preliminary website accessibility check, including benefits, techniques, and limitations.

Audience: Anyone wanting to learn how to do a preliminary website accessibility check

This topic explores some easy evaluation techniques that will provide participants with the ability to perform initial reviews and present the results. It includes an explanation of the difference between a quick preliminary website accessibility check and a thorough conformance evaluation review.

What is meant by a quick website accessibility check, and its limitations
Basic techniques for performing a preliminary review
Difference between a quick check and a full conformance review
Evaluation tools and their limitations
Summarizing the results of the quick check
Easy Checks - A First Review of Web Accessibility - provides step-by-step guidance and brief explanations for checking some aspects of accessibility
Selecting Web Accessibility Evaluation Tools - provides guidance on choosing tools; describes the features and functionality of different types of evaluation tools, and discusses things to consider for your situation
Web Accessibility Evaluation Tools - filterable list of web accessibility evaluation tools
Activity/Demonstration: Use evaluation tools to help identify failures and repairs in the Before and After Demonstration . Discuss the different types of evaluation tools, their benefits, and their limitations.
Tip: Suggest participants repeat the activities/demonstrations with other websites, including their own, after the session.

17. Conformance Evaluation for Web Accessibility

Goal: Provide an understanding of how to undertake a conformance review for website accessibility.

Audience: Web developers and quality assurers, accessibility experts, researchers

This topic provides an introduction to the approach, tools, and techniques for performing a thorough website accessibility conformance evaluation review. It also discussed the importance of testing with users.

Note: This topic assumes familiarity with WCAG 2. See Topic 5: Introducing WCAG 2 .

Selecting a representative sample of web pages to evaluate, including samples from large or dynamically generated websites
Selecting and using evaluation tools to support evaluation approaches and processes
Benefits of involving users to achieve a more complete evaluation
Reporting findings in a comprehensive and understandable way
When and where to get more help and more information
WCAG-EM Overview - introduces an approach for determining conformance to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)
Website Accessibility Conformance Evaluation Methodology (WCAG-EM)
WCAG-EM Report Tool: Website Accessibility Evaluation Report Generator - helps you generate evaluation reports according to WCAG-EM.
Using Combined Expertise to Evaluate Web Accessibility - describes the diverse kinds of expertise and perspectives required to evaluate the accessibility of web content
Involving Users in Evaluating Web Accessibility - describes the benefits from evaluating with real people and identifying usability issues that are not discovered by conformance evaluation alone
Web Accessibility Evaluation Tools - filterable list of Web accessibility evaluation tools
Activity/Demonstration: Evaluate accessible and inaccessible web pages from the Before and After Demonstration . Compare results among the participants and with the reports provided.
Activity: Have participants recommend improvements for inaccessible web pages from the Before and After Demonstration . Compare with the accessible web pages from the Demo and discuss different types of solutions to meet accessibility requirements.

Introduction to Web Accessibility

WebAIM Training

PowerPoint Accessibility

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Introduction

Microsoft PowerPoint is one of the most popular tools for creating slide show presentations. It is often used to organize thoughts for a meeting or lesson, to present key points in a live presentation, and even to create handouts. This article outlines how to can make PowerPoint files more accessible on the web.

Unless noted, the steps outlined in this article apply to Office 2016 and 365, Windows and Mac. Most screenshots are from the PowerPoint 2016 for Windows.

Templates and Themes

The first step in creating a PowerPoint presentation is choosing a slide theme or template. The Design tab contains many built-in Themes and color Variants that can be used to change the look of a presentation, as well as the ability to create custom themes

Some of these templates have low contrast between slide text and the slide background, and a few may also have busy backgrounds that can make text even more difficult to read. Be sure to choose a theme with good contrast and with simple backgrounds. If the presentation will be viewed on a projector, the contrast and readability may need to be even more pronounced.

In addition to built-in and custom themes, there are thousands of templates available for download. You can search for a template by selecting File > New, and then describing the template in the Search field. Add the word "accessible" to the search for templates that are tagged as "accessible" by the creator. While this doesn't guarantee accessibility, it increases the likelihood of finding a good template. If in doubt, Microsoft has identified several templates that are optimized for accessibility .

Slide Layouts

The most important part of PowerPoint accessibility is the use of slide "layouts." Used correctly, these will ensure information on the slides have the correct heading structure and reading order.

Most slide layouts include a slide "title," usually at the top of the slide. They also typically contain one or more "placeholder" areas where you add content like lists, images, and tables to each slide. The title will be presented as a heading to screen reader users, and will be the first thing read on each slide. If each slide has a descriptive title, this will make it much easier for screen reader users to read and navigate the presentation.

Create a new slide

Although you can change the layout of a slide at any time, it is usually easiest to choose your layout when creating a new slide. You can add a new slide from the Home or Insert tab. If you choose the New Slide icon , PowerPoint will usually create a new slide with the same layout as the currently-selected slide.

You can also select the slide layout while creating a new slide. In Windows, select either the small arrow or the text " New Slide " right below the icon, and a menu will drop down with all the available slide layouts. Select one of these options to create a new slide with this layout.

In Mac, select the small arrow next to the New Slide icon to show a similar dropdown menu.

Change slide layout

To change the layout of an existing slide:

Select the slide you would like to change.
On the Home tab, select Layout .
Choose the desired layout from the dropdown.

This new layout will be applied to the selected slide and PowerPoint will try to move the slide contents to the correct place in the new layout. If you're moving from one pre-built layout to another, this usually works fairly well. But if you apply a layout to a slide that wasn't structured correctly in the first place (e.g., pictures and text boxes added to a blank slide), it may take some work like cutting, pasting, and deleting unnecessary boxes to apply the correct layout.

Slide Master

It is possible to make changes to all slides within a presentation, like changing the text size of all slide titles. You can also make changes to a specific slide layout, or even create new custom layouts. All of these changes are possible in the Slide Master view. This view allows you to create accessible layouts that meet the needs of the presentation while maintaining a proper heading structure and reading order.

To open Slide Master, select the View tab > Slide Master .

The different layouts that are available in the presentation will be displayed in the left-hand sidebar. The first slide in this sidebar is the Master Layout . Changes made to the Master Layout will usually be applied to every slide in the presentation. Below this Master Layout are the different individual layouts. Changes made to one of these will be applied to every slide that uses this layout.

To create a new slide layout, select Insert Layout , and then Rename to give the new layout a descriptive name. You can then insert placeholder objects, change the size and position of objects on the slide, etc.

Once all the changes are complete, select Close Master View on Windows or Close Master on Mac. Changes made within this view will automatically be applied throughout the presentation.

Slide Reading Order

Although it is best to use slide layouts when possible, there may be times when you need to add content to a slide when it would be impractical to create a new slide layout. By default, a screen reader will read the slide title first, followed by other content in elements defined in the slide layout. Then it will read any additional content on the side in the order it was added to the slide. If you add content with this principle in mind, it should be presented to screen reader users in a logical order.

You can check or change this reading order by selecting Home > Arrange > Selection Pane . The Selection Pane will appear in the right-hand sidebar.

The pane will show every object on the slide. Highlighting an object in the pane will also highlight it in the slide. The reading order for the elements in this page is bottom to top . At first this may seem illogical, but it helps to think of these objects as layers on a slide. The first object on the slide will be read first. If another object is added to the page on top of the this first object, it will be read next by a screen reader (and will also cover the first object visually). To reorder an item, simply click and drag . PowerPoint for Windows also has up/down arrow buttons that can be used to reorder items.

The Arrange dropdown menus also includes options to reorder a single object. This will change the visual position on the page as well as the reading order.

If you use these options, be sure to check the Selection Pane to ensure the reading order makes sense.

Alternative Text for Images

PowerPoint presentations usually include images, and these images need equivalent alternative text .

PowerPoint 365 and 2019

The process to add alternative text is straightforward in PowerPoint 365 and 2019:

Right-click on the image and select Edit Alt text , then enter appropriate alternative text in the field that appears in the Alt Text sidebar.

If the image is decorative, leave the field blank and check Mark as decorative .

Do not select the "Generate a description for me" button. The quality of the automatically-generated descriptions is usually very poor, and a description of an image is often not the same as alternative text.

PowerPoint 2016

To add alternative text to an image in PowerPoint 2016:

Right-click on the image and choose Format Picture .
In the Format Picture sidebar, Select the Size & Properties icon and choose Alt Text .
Enter appropriate alternative text in the Description field only (not the Title field).

Unless it is part of the slide background, there is no way to hide a decorative image in PowerPoint 2016 or older. If the presentation is saved to a PDF, decorative images can be hidden in Acrobat Professional .

In HTML, there are ways to identify row and column headers in a data table that make the contents of the table much more accessible to screen reader users. PowerPoint allows you to identify a single row of column headers and a single column of row headers. To identify the headers in a table:

Click inside the table. The Table Tools options should become visible, and the Design tab (called Table Design on Mac) should be open .
If the top row of the table contains headers for each column (most tables do), check the make sure the Header Row checkbox is checked.
If the first column of the table contains headers for each row, check the First Column checkbox.

Most screen readers will not identify table headers in PowerPoint, but we still recommend going through this process. It is important to identify headers visually, and support for table headers in Microsoft Office is improving constantly. Plus, these headers will be identified when saving to PDF in the most up-to-date versions of PowerPoint.

PowerPoint automatically creates a link when a user pastes a full URL onto a slide and presses Enter or Space. Raw URLs may not make sense to screen reader users or others, so make the link text descriptive.

To change the link text right-click the link and select Edit Hyperlink . On Mac, right-click the link and select Hyperlink > Edit Hyperlink . A dialog will appear. Click in the Text to Display field at the top of the dialog and enter descriptive link text.

Screenshot of the Edit Hyperlink dialog with the Text to display field highlighted

If you are creating a presentation that is intended to be displayed both electronically and in print, you may want to include the URL and a description in the link text. For example, "WebAIM Introduction to Web Accessibility (webaim.org/intro)."

Check Accessibility

PowerPoint includes a tool that will identify many common accessibility issues. The accessibility checker is basically the same in Windows and Mac, but the steps to start the check are different.

To run the accessibility checker in Windows, select File > Info . Select the Check for Issues button and choose Check Accessibility .

To start the accessibility checker in Mac, select the Review tab, then choose Check Accessibility .

In Windows and Mac, the Accessibility Checker sidebar will appear to the right. The checker presents accessibility errors (e.g., images with no alternative text), warnings (e.g., unclear link text) and tips (e.g., check slide reading order for slides with custom content). Selecting an item in the report will highlight the issue within the slide. Information about the issue, and instructions on how to repair it, will also appear at the bottom of the sidebar.

When the issue is addressed, it will disappear from the report automatically.

Other Accessibility Principles

Make sure text is not too small, especially if the presentation will be viewed on a projector.
Do not use color as the only way to convey information.
Transitions and animations should be simple.
Complex or automatic transitions and animations can be distracting.
Use clear and simple language. If you have embedded video, ensure the video is captioned.
If you have embedded audio, include a transcript.

Convert PowerPoint to PDF

PowerPoint is effective for face-to-face presentations, but it is usually not the best format for content on the web. The file can be large, and users must either have Microsoft Office or a plugin in order to view the file. PDF is often a better format to present PowerPoint presentations electronically. The file size is relatively small, distracting slide transitions are usually removed, and everyone has a PDF reader.

All of the accessibility features outlined in this article will be retained in a PDF file, assuming it is created correctly. (See our article on Creating PDF files from Office documents ). If your presentation has tables or decorative images, and you know how to add accessibility information in Adobe Acrobat, your PDF file could even be made more accessible than the original PowerPoint file.