Digital documents, including Google Slides, used at U-M are required to meet digital accessibility standards and provide equitable access for people with disabilities.
Use the table below as a reference for requirements that usually apply to slides, and how to meet them.
Use a Google Slides Theme designed for accessibility, and add new slides to your deck by choosing a "new slide with layout" from the theme.
You can test the document using the tests in the Manual Testing column.
| Area | Requirement | Manual Testing |
|---|---|---|
| Media | Images have alternative text. | Right-click on the image. Select Alt Text. Check for good alt text in the Description area. |
| Contrast | Use a Slide Theme with good contrast between foreground and background colors. | Visually inspect the text/background combinations. Check for good contrast (dark on light, light on dark). Check low contrast combinations with contrast testing techniques, and adjust as needed. |
| Structure | All slides have a title. | Select Slideshow > Presenter View and check the dropdown list of slides for appropriate titles. |
| Tabs | Tab order follows the natural reading order. | Load the page and use just the Tab key (to go forward) and Shift-Tab (to go backward) to move through the slide page. Note where the focus moves and see if it follows the natural reading order. To adjust, right-click items and select Order to change their order. (Back is first in order, Front is last.) |
| Tables | Tables are very simple in nature and the first row has column headings | Visually determine that the first row has text that would logically be headings. Visually determine that the table is simple in nature – no column or row spans, no nested tables. |
| Good Practice | There are meaningful speaker notes. Notes provide context for assistive technology and outside live presentation. | Visually check the speaker notes to see if they provide additional context. |