Making a PowerPoint Presentation Accessible

Making a PowerPoint Presentation Accessible with LecShare Pro

Create the PPT Presentation | About LecShare Pro | Using LecShare Pro | Publishing Your Presentation to BeachBoard or the WWW

Part I. Create the PPT Presentation                 Microsoft Office Logo

  1. Organize the ideas you want to present. Outline the concepts to be covered in the presentation, as well as the order of the presentation. You can do this using Microsoft Word, a pencil and paper, or any other program with which you’re comfortable.
  2. Prepare your PowerPoint slides. Aim for these rules-of-thumb for effective PowerPoint presentations:
    • no more than six bullets on a slide
    • no more than six words per bullet
    • use the largest font that fits uniformly on slides
    • use a consistent font throughout the presentation
    • choose a simple font – no script or fancy edges
    • use graphics sparingly and only when they support a concept on your slide
    • avoid animations and transitions
    • plan to show no more than 3 slides per minute
    • use color judiciously—remember to incorporate adequate contrast between background and text and never rely on color to convey meaning (remember, some people are color-blind!)
  3. Write the script for each slide and add it to the “Notes” window below each slide. Do not include special characters in your script, such as quotations marks.
  4. Save your presentation with two file names—so you have a backup.

Part II. About LecShare Pro                                 LecShare Pro Company Logo

LecShare Pro is a program that provides the following options: 

  • Checks your PPT so that it is structured for accessibility.
  • Converts your PPT to accessible HTML. (optiona)
  • Adds audio AND CAPTIONING of the audio to your PowerPoint presentation  (optional)
  • Publish your accessible presentation to BeachBoard or the WWW. (optional)
  1. CSULB has purchased a site license for staff and faculty.  Students may purchase it for $10.00. 
  2. Access LecShare Pro by contacting ITSS for a copy of the Lecshare software and installing it on your personal computer. 

Part III. Using LecShare Pro

  1. Open LecShare Pro.  Use the menu to select File > Open [your PowerPoint file name].
    • Your slides will load into a preview pane. Scroll through your slides to see that each has a green indicator to show you that it meets accessibility considerations.
    • Correct any red errors. The most common red error will be missing ALT text for graphics or pictures.
    • Save your work.
    • Saving Lecshare pro ppt
  2.  To Export PPT to HTML (Optional)
    •  After you have saved a LecShare-reviewed PPT. Go to File > Export.
    • Select Accessible HTML.  Then click Export.
    • Save the file to your computer.  LecShare will create a folder entitled "HMTL."export options
  3. To add Narration (optional)
    • Select the first slide by clicking on it in the lower preview pane.
    • Click on the Notes button to view your script for the slide.
    • Record your narration by clicking on the Audio button then the Record button when you’re ready to read your script.
    • If your voice is being recorded, you’ll see activity in the green-yellow-red bar next to the Record button. This green-yellow-red bar is an indicator of the volume of your voice that’s being recorded—red will mean that your voice is too loud.
    • Click on the Stop button when you’ve finished the script for the slide.
    • Repeat steps 4-6 for each slide.
    • When finished recording, select File  > Export and complete the identifying information.
    • Select QuickTime Movie then Options and select Quick Caption from the QuickTime Movie Options dialog box as well as Embed in an HTML page. Then select OK.
    • Save your QuickTime output to disk. This will be a very large file, so if you’re not saving to your hard drive, be sure you have plenty of space (over 70Mb) on your portable USB flash disk.

Part IV. Publishing Your Presentation to BeachBoard or the WWW

 For BeachBoard:

  1. Log into BeachBoard.  Click on My Content.  Create a folder and name it appropriately.
  2. Upload the HTML folder to your My Content folder.
  3. Go to your course where you would like to place the PPT.
  4. Add Item > Browse the Content Collection > click on the HTML folder > select the index.html page > Open or Submit.
  5. Submit again in BeachBoard.

For the WWW:

  1. Every CSULB faculty, staff, and student has an account on the web server for storing web-based instructional materials. Your username and password on the web server is the your webmail ID and password.
  2. See separate instructions for using FTP (File Transfer Program).
  3. Link to the index.html page.

Information above adapted and used with permission from Joan Van Duzer, CSU Humboldt.