An accessible presentation helps everyone follow your topic. Please consider the following guidelines when creating your presentation for the conference.
Keep your slides simple
- Put one main idea on each slide.
- Avoid filling slides with long paragraphs.
- Use short sentences, keywords, and bullet points.
- Leave enough empty space around text and images.
- Avoid unnecessarily complex layouts.
- Use a consistent structure and visual style throughout the presentation.
- Avoid animations and transitions unless they serve a clear purpose.
Make text easy to read
- Choose fonts and text sizes that can be read from the back of the room.
- Use a simple, sans-serif font such as Arial, Aptos, Calibri, Helvetica, or similar.
- Avoid decorative, handwritten, or very thin fonts.
- Use sufficiently large text. At least 24-28 pt for body text is recommended.
- Use larger text for headings.
- Avoid writing whole sentences in ALL CAPS.
- Use bold to emphasize important information rather than underlining or decorative effects.
- Keep lines reasonably short.
- Do not put important text close to the edges of the slide.
Use good color contrast
- Text and important visual elements should stand out clearly from their background.
- Use strong contrast between text and background.
- Avoid placing text directly over busy photographs or illustrations.
- Use a solid or sufficiently opaque background behind text when necessary.
- Check that charts, diagrams, and other graphics have enough contrast.
- Don’t rely on color alone when distinguishing between differentiating information.
Make images and graphics understandable
If an image contains important information:
- Explain its meaning aloud.
- Point out important details verbally.
- Do not assume that everyone can see small details on the screen.
- Avoid unnecessarily complicated diagrams.
Make charts and data accessible
- Charts can be difficult to interpret from a distance.
- Keep charts simple.
- Use large labels and readable text.
- Avoid relying on color alone to distinguish categories.
- Label important data directly where possible.
- Avoid showing too many data points at once.
- Explain the key message verbally.
Use accessible language
- Use clear, straightforward language.
- Explain specialist terms and abbreviations.
- Avoid unnecessary jargon.
- Avoid unnecessarily long and complicated sentences.
- Give people enough time to process important information.
- When introducing several new concepts, pause between them.
Use inclusive language
- Use accurate and respectful terminology for the communities you discuss. When possible, check how the community describes itself.
- Avoid language that defines people by a disability, condition, stereotype, or perceived deficit, such as normal people, suffers from, or confined to a wheelchair.
- Do not make assumptions about people’s gender, disability, culture, family structure, age, or background. Use gender-neutral language when gender is not relevant.
- Avoid generalizations and stereotypes. Make clear when you are describing the findings or experiences of a particular group rather than making claims about everyone.
- Consider whether your examples, images, and scenarios unintentionally present one type of person or experience as the default.