How To Make Google Slides Accessible

Welcome to our blog on enhancing accessibility in Google Slides. Today we’ll dive into the key features to ensure your presentations are accessible to everyone.

Video Guide

Creating Your Presentation

Let’s begin by opening a new presentation. This is the first and most essential step in creating an accessible presentation: Name it clearly. For instance, “Accessible Google Slides.” A clear name helps identify the purpose of the presentation and keeps it organized.

Enhancing Google Slides Accessibility: Essential Tips

1. Slide Layouts

Adding content outside of designated placeholders can hinder accessibility. This often leads to a disorganized layout that is hard to navigate for people using screen readers.

Stick to using layouts such as ‘Title and Body’ or ‘Title in Two Columns’ to maintain structure. These predefined layouts help keep the content organized and accessible.

2. Slide Titles

Repeated titles can confuse screen readers, making it difficult for users to differentiate between slides. Label similar slides distinctly, like “Accessibility Best Practices, 1 of 2.” This makes it easier for screen readers to navigate through the presentation.

3. Hyperlinks

Vague hyperlink texts are a barrier to understanding the purpose of the link. Use clear, descriptive texts for links. Example: “Explore The Accessibility Guy’s guide on document accessibility.” This ensures that users know what to expect when they click a link.

4. Images

Insert images via the ‘Insert’ button. Images can enhance the understanding of the presentation content. Add meaningful alternative text. For example, describe an image as “Stone Cold Steve Austin, the greatest wrestler of all time.” This description helps screen readers convey the image’s message to users who cannot see it.

5. Content and Reading Order

Incorrect reading sequences can lead to confusion for screen readers. Ensure correct reading order by using the ‘Tab’ key to navigate through elements. Rearrange or delete elements as necessary to maintain a logical flow.

6. Lists

Improperly formatted lists can be inaccessible to screen readers. Use built-in bullet or number formats for list items. This ensures that the list items are read correctly and in order.

7. Tables

A little known fact, Google Slides struggles with table accessibility, which can make complex data difficult to understand for users with disabilities. Keep tables simple with basic rows and columns.

Note that there is no actual feature for table headers in Google Slides. Screen readers will read the table left to right and top to bottom. Try to avoid using tables in Google Slides when you can.

8. Charts and Graphs

The inherent inaccessibility of charts in Google Slides makes it hard for users with visual impairments to understand them. Create charts in another program and add them as images (with detailed alternative text) for better control and clarity. This allows for more customization and makes the charts more accessible.

Making your Google Slides accessible is essential for inclusive communication. By adhering to these guidelines, you’ll ensure your content is more user-friendly for those using assistive technologies.

Remember, I can be your accessibility expert. For more detailed insights, tutorials, and in-depth discussions on accessibility and related topics, don’t forget to check out my YouTube channel: The Accessibility Guy on YouTube. Subscribe for regular updates!