Accessible Presentations: everything from PowerPoint (and Google Slides) to PDF

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Course Description

Are your presentations inclusive by default? Learn how to create accessible PowerPoint or Google Slides presentations.

An accessible presentation is one that allows people living with accessibility issues to receive the same information as everyone else. From captions to keyboard navigation, presentation accessibility includes topics as varied as the human senses.

This course teaches PowerPoint users to succeed in effectively creating accessible presentation templates and presentations, taking into account the laws and regulations that apply to you.

We’ll help you succeed in maintaining the accessibility already cooked into accessible templates, or you create your own, so that everyone can participate in the editorial process. Meanwhile, you’ll be reducing the effort required for yourself or your colleagues potentially convert your accessible presentation file into accessible PDF or HTML.

Not only will you comply with standards and regulations (WCAG, Revised Section 508, ADA, AODA…), but you’ll be broadening the audience for your content while enriching the experience of existing users.

“Techniques I can use.”

– Liv Stenersen, Government Administration Services, Oslo (Norway)

“Fun and engaging… David is great!”

– James Welsh, Conference Board of Canada

David Berman will convince you of why accessibility is important for everybody, then provide in-depth familiarity with federal and international guidelines that will help your presentation content be a more effective resource for your entire audience. You’ll also gain familiarity with assistive technologies that help people with specific disabilities and difficulties.

Our full-day course includes a thorough review of every pertinent standard that applies to accessible PowerPoint or Google Slides, including policies which call for WCAG Level A and AA compliance (such as Canada’s Standard on Web Accessibility, U.S. Revised Section 508, EN 301 549, and Ontario’s AODA). These technical demands allow PowerPoint files (or the HTML or PDF that result from them) to be your primary format, but only if your presentation files are truly accessible … and that is often poorly understood. We’ll cover everything from tables to charts to typography to testing recommendations.

Not only will you leave with ideas you can use right away, you may also gain a whole new attitude towards how technology can improve lives. By the end of the course you will not only be aware of why accessibility and standards affect everyone: you’ll be equipped with a thorough understanding of what needs to be done and how, including leading-edge tools and techniques we’ve developed that are uniquely powerful and efficient. Each participant leaves with a comprehensive 160+ page learning guide, detailing every relevant accessibility success criterion.

This course incorporates adult learning principles and activities appropriate to a variety of learning styles, and qualifies for CEUs (certified by organizations such as PPAC).

“Excellent… knowledge I can use.”

– Sandra Clark, Ministry of Trade and
Industry, Oslo (Norway)

“Focused and easy to follow.”

-Jason Hollett, gordongroup

“Great. He kept me listening and understanding.”

– Matthew Brunetti, Lixar IT

“Inspiring!”

– Morten Budeng, King Design

“Excellent.”

– Sylvie Nyman, Indian and Northern
Affairs Canada

What’s Wrong

Computer-mediated accessibility to information represents the greatest liberation in human history. Most people in our societies have some sort of physical or mental difficulty that can stand in the way of clear Web communication unless proper design steps are taken.

There’s a need for people to understand what constitutes sufficiently-accessible presentations, and the steps to get there with the least expense and effort. Although most professional developers now create content with some awareness of browser incompatibilities and platform dependencies, they still experience difficulties with emerging accessibility standards and how they apply to presentation documennts. Many presentations continue to be developed based on assumptions that don’t address the specific needs of people living disabilities and difficulties and thus fail to deliver the promise of accessible PowerPoint and Google Slides.

“Very good speaker – good sense of humour.”

– Johan Fong, House of Commons

“Entertaining.”

– Sjur Kristiansen, Telenor Telecommunications
Group

“Eye-opening. Love your method of teaching.”

– Jean Descrochers, National Research
Council

What Makes This Course Unique

Our course leader, David Berman, is a consultant on accessibility for large IT projects, and has worked on Web accessibility projects for many large organizations including Statistics Canada, the National Research Council, and IBM.

He is a member of the ISO standards committees for both PDF and plain language.

He has led the developed of sustainable PowerPoint template ecosystems for both government and private sector clients.

He is a high-level advisor to the United Nations on how accessible IT can help fulfill the Millennium Development Goals more rapidly.

He has been the project manager of numerous accessible Web projects, has developed strategy and design for CAST, CFIA, CRA, CMHC, Health Canada, Canadian Heritage, Industry Canada, and the International Space Station … as well as many private sector and non-profit organizations.

By addressing and understanding accessibility issues, publishers can more effectively deliver their message to their entire audience, regardless of physical or mental impediments, while complying with legal and moral responsibilities.

“I enjoyed it all.”

– Robert Hallat, Public Service Commission

“Right on target.”

– Marius Monsen, Reaktor ID

“He knows what to do!” “This will guide us for the AA Standards”

– Bassil Wehbe, Agriculture Canada

What You Will Learn

You will learn how to make PowerPoint files that include everyone from Step 1, that comply with every global standard for accessible presentations. Specifically, you will learn:

• Introduction
  • introduction to WCAG and how it applies to presentations
  • introduction to accessible PowerPoint (and Google Slides, if you wish)
  • introduction to PDF/UA
• Creating accessible PowerPoint presentations
  • working with text structures (headings, lists, and tables)
  • working with images (placement, alt text, and decorative images)
  • working with layout (columns and text boxes)
  • working with headers and footers (page numbering and sections
  • baking accessibility into PowerPoint templates
• Using the Office Accessibility Checker to flag and repair issues: what it can and cannot do to help
• Exporting to HTML and PDF
  • setting the export options
  • exporting
• Introduction to touching up any resulting PDF document in Adobe Acrobat Pro
  • checking and repairing the document structure
  • creating artifacts for decorative and/or repetitive elements
  • adding additional accessibility features
  • testing any resulting PDF documents
  • testing and repairing with the Acrobat Accessibility Checker
  • testing and repairing with PAC 2.0 and 3.0
  • using the WCAG Checklist
  • introduction to functional accessibility testing

“Very good: made me think…”

– Bente Mollevik, Norwegian Savings
Bank Association

“Great: very comprehensive. Touching on all aspects of accessibility.”

– Marc Iafelice, CFIA

“David really knows his topics. Very well done: got the point across in a way that can be apply to everyone.”

– Sean Strasbourg, CFIA

Goals

Upon completion, participants will be able to successfully create an accessible presentation files (WCAG 2 Level AA compliant) using Microsoft PowerPoint or Google Slides.

At the end of this event, you will:

• know many techniques you can apply right away to make presentation content more accessible
• have a comprehensive understanding of W3C WCAG AA and current government accessibility policies,
  and how to meet them
• be able to make informed decisions as to when PowerPoint is the right place to start
• understand better the experience of those living with disabilities using presentations
• know you’re doing the “right thing” by ensuring that everyone can participate in the presentation development process

“Excellent.”

– Steinar Sandum, Adax, Svelvik (Norway)

“Interesting content, really well delivered. Visual and engaging. Gives us a common language and approach.”

– Chris Cook, CFIA

“This will change the way we work.”

– Sharon Drolet, Canadian Food Inspection Agency

What You Get

When David Berman Communications hosts this course*, regular ticket holders receive:

• a complimentary, comprehensive 160+ page learning guide, detailing every applicable accessibility standard (also
  available separately for $97, with optional 1-on-1 distance coaching)
• a thirty-minute one-on-one personal coaching tele-session with David within a month
• the option to attend this course again in the future, as a refresher, at no additional cost
• the option to attend the first half on one date and the second half at a future date
• a money-back guarantee: if, after coaching and refresher, you don’t think you’ve got your money’s worth, we’ll refund your entire fee

(*If you are attending one of our courses hosted by another organization, confirm which of these items apply.)

Register (at https://davidberman.com/register ) or call 1-613-728-6777… or bring this event to your site: for a keynote, half-day, or full-day event, customized for your group.

Prerequisites:

• Intermediate knowledge of Microsoft PowerPoint

“Clear and entertaining: will allow more strategic planning rather than just reactionary stumbling.”

– Steve Doody, Justice Canada

“This will make us better communicators.”

– Luc Bergeron, SSHRC

“Perfect.”

– Jean Leclair, Environment Canada

About the Expert Speaker

David Berman is the principal of David Berman Communications. He has over 25 years of experience in graphic design and strategic communications. He has worked extensively in adapting the printed word for electronic distribution, including software interface development.

David was appointed a high-level advisor to the United Nations on how design and accessible ICT can help fulfill the Millennium Development Goals more rapidly.

He has extensive experience as a senior consultant in applying accessibility and standards to government Web sites, as well as to private sector clients such as IBM, both as a strategist and compliance testing leader. He regularly teaches accessibility principles as part of his professional development workshops, and developed a custom two-day workshop for the National Research Council on common look and feel. His plain writing, design, and accessibility work include award-winning projects for the City of Ottawa, the Ontario government, and Canada’s federal government. Clients include IBM, Justice Canada, HRDC, Canada Revenue Agency, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food, the Region of Ottawa-Carleton and the Ontario Literacy Coalition.

David has been featured in the Financial Post, the Globe And Mail, the Ottawa Citizen, the Montreal Gazette, Marketing, Applied Arts, HOW, and Communication Arts magazines, as well as ABC and CBC.

In addition to operating as one of the leading design strategists in Canada’s capital, David ranks #1 on speakerwiki.org on this topic for a reason. His arc as an internationally-celebrated expert speaker has brought him to over 30 countries. David is a National Professional Member of the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers (CAPS) and the Global Speakers Federation (GSF).

David is currently Ethics Chair of the Society of Graphic Designers of Canada, was named a Fellow (the highest professional honour for graphic designers in Canada) in 1999, and has served as a director and sustainability chair of Icograda, the world body for graphic and communications design.

Who Should Attend

This course is targeted to all project managers, Webmasters, production coordinators, IT professionals, strategists, and controllers, involved in developing presentations and Web sites.

• heads of communication
• Web and document managers
• people who need to get their presentations compliant with current and future government accessibility standards
• people who write, edit, plan, translate, proofread, or manage online presentations
• people who coordinate people who build presentations

This course delivers knowledge required for EN 301 549, WCAG 2.0 and WCAG 2.1 Level A and Level AA awareness training as documented in the Government of Canada’s Accessibility Responsibility Breakdown as well as current Treasury Board policy and evolving Accessible  Standards Canada standards. This course incorporates adult learning principles and activities appropriate to a variety of learning styles, and qualifies for CEUs.

Language:

English (French available upon request)

Duration:

One-day course, half-day course, or keynote presentation (we also provide this course customized on-site for your organization).

“I love David’s approach.”

-Carole Dubuc, Canadian Armed Forces

“Clear, concise, and very useful.”

-Annette Kallevig

“Excellent, eye-opening, and not preachy!”

-Carrie Walker-Boyd, Canadian Food Inspection Agency

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Adobe invented PDF … now it’s an ISO standard

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Reviewed March 14, 2024