Using PowerPoint Effectively
accessibility reply
Center for Faculty Innovation
March 29, 2018 (in response to this teaching toolbox by Scott Paulson)
This was a very helpful toolbox! It offers some excellent strategies and resources for giving students multiple points of access to materials, which I’d like to expand upon a bit.
Providing multiple means of representation, action and expression, and engagement are the key principles of Universal Design for Learning, which honors the diversity of learners.
A related concept is Universal Design , which applies more broadly to designing physical and social spaces to provide meaningful access to the broadest range of people possible, valuing diversity and inclusion.
The DO-IT Center based at the University of Washington offers some really helpful information and resources for universal design, including one particularly helpful resource on making presentations accessible.
Microsoft also offers some accessibility tips, as does Michigan State and Penn State. JMU offers several resources, including the Accessible Media and Technology Program with the Office of Disability Services, and IT Training Offers a CAMMO workshop for creating accessible materials in Microsoft Office.
Taking steps toward accessible materials will help make sure all of our students not only have access to learning, but also feel welcome and included.
My thanks to Scott for sharing this information and his expertise on PowerPoint, and to Emily and CFI for providing a forum for these valuable conversations.
