Best Practices for PowerPoint Kirsten Behling and Andrew Cioffi Office of Disability Services

Best Practices for PowerPoint

Kirsten Behling and Andrew CioffiOffice of Disability Services

Overview

• List of Best Practices• Examples of less effective practices

followed by better practices• Comment boxes provided throughout

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Comment boxes are used throughout this PPT to provide some guidance.

List of Best Practices

• All slides have simple layouts• Content is organized in a logical structure• Fonts larger than 14pt; Sans serif font• High contrast color combinations• Ample white space• Alt tags on visual elements

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Darker background color with light color lettering is easier on the eyes. The dark blue and white lettering provides enough contrast for students with vision based disabilities

List of Best Practices

• Narrations discuss slide content, relate to theme• Add transcript of narration to notes section• All hyperlinks have meaningful descriptions• No slide transitions or automatic timing

• Use proper/provided slide templates

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- layout is simple- sans serif font is used

The Office of Disability Services (ODS)

73 Tremont St. 7th Floor

(617) 994-6820

[email protected]

Kirsten Behling, Director

Andrew Cioffi, Assistant Director

Rebecca Kmiec, Office Coordinator

ODS serves all students with disabilities at Suffolk University

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BAD EXAMPLE-Multiple color text is confusing.-Light text does not provide enough contrast.-Does not make use of a provided template.-Image is visually confusing, is not fundamental to the information on the slide, and is not 'alt tagged.'

The Office of Disability Services (ODS)

Contact:• 73 Tremont St, 7th floor• (617) 994-6820

Staff:• Kirsten Behling, Director• Andrew Cioffi, Assistant

Director• Rebecca Kmiec, Office

Coordinator

[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

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BETTER EXAMPLE- more logical layout; clearly marked headings- clearer layout; use of provided template- less distracting picture- Alt tagged picture (alt text reads: Picture of a golden plaque with the number 73 displayed on it. Visual cue for ODS office location.)- use of sans-serif font (Ariel is the University approved alternative for a sans-serif font)

Assistive Technology Categories

• Aids for daily living• Communication/Augmentative communication• Computer applications• Environmental control systems• Home/Work site modifications• Instructional learning materials• Leisure time or recreational adaptations• Mobility aids• Prosthetics and orthotics• Seating and positioning aids• Sensory aids• Vehicle modifications

http://resna.org/home/resna-search-results.dot?cx=002481192332656810519%3Aam5wqqggmdq&cof=FORID%3A10&ie=UTF-8&q=assistive+technology&sa=+Go+&siteurl=www.resna.org%2F&ref=&ss=3316j926054j20

http://resna.org/home/resna-search-results.dot?cx=002481192332656810519:am5wqqggmdq&cof=FORID:10&ie=UTF-8&q=assistive+technology&sa=+Go+&siteurl=www.resna.org/&ref=&ss=3316j926054j20



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BAD EXAMPLE- 14pt font. Is the smallest. Larger would be more effective here.- Serif font uses ticks at the ends of each letter that can obscure the letter shape for students with print-based disabilities- Is the image necessary? If so, is the image 'alt tagged.'- Plenty of contrast with the main text, HOWEVER, not for the URL. The 'hyperlink blue' does not work with this background.- Hyperlink does not give a meaningful description.

Assistive Technology, Categories

• Aids for daily living• Communication/Augmentative communication• Computer applications• Environmental control systems• Home/Work site modifications• Instructional learning materials• Leisure time or recreational adaptations• Mobility aids• Prosthetics and orthotics• Seating and positioning aids• Sensory aids• Vehicle modifications

– RESNA categoriesRehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America

http://www.resna.org/

http://www.resna.org/

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BETTER EXAMPLE- Larger font. Sans-Serif Font- Hyperlink reworded to have a meaningful tag (a screen reader will identify it as a hyperlink)- Hyperlink background lightened to show the link against the dark background- Picture was removed because it was not fundamental (optional: picture could have remained as long as it was 'alt tagged')

Documents

Best Practices for PowerPoint Kirsten Behling and Andrew Cioffi Office of Disability Services