A common faculty assumption is that slides shown live do not raise the same accessibility concerns as documents.
Often they do.
If slides are distributed to students, posted in the LMS, or used as study material outside the live classroom, they are not just presentation aids anymore. They become course materials, and that means accessibility starts to matter in much the same way it does for syllabi, handouts, and Word documents.
Common Issues in Slides
The most common problems in slides are not mysterious. They are usually low color contrast, visual structure that does not translate well to assistive technology, images with no alt text, and reading order problems caused by text boxes or layered objects. A deck can look polished in presentation mode and still be frustrating or unusable when someone opens it with accessibility tools.
Real Example
Suppose a lecture deck uses light gray text on a white background and includes several diagrams without descriptions. In a live class, you may explain those diagrams aloud, and the slides might feel sufficient in the room. But once the deck is uploaded, a student reviewing it later may encounter unreadable text, missing context, and no meaningful way to interpret the visual content independently.
Before
Slides look acceptable to some students, but others are left to guess at content that was only understandable when delivered orally.
After
Contrast is improved, images are described where needed, and the structure is clearer. The content becomes more usable without changing the academic substance of the lecture.
Workflow
If you share slides with students, review the decks you reuse most often. Start with contrast, because weak contrast is one of the fastest ways to create avoidable barriers. Then look at images, diagrams, and charts to decide which ones need alt text or explanatory notes. After that, review the structure of the deck itself, including title slides, heading consistency, and reading order. Most slide software includes accessibility tools, and those are worth using before the deck gets posted.
FAQ
Do lecture slides need accessibility review?
Often yes, especially if they are distributed or used as reference material outside the live presentation.
Does color contrast matter in slides?
Yes. Contrast problems are one of the most common issues in slide decks and one of the easiest to fix.
Do images in slides need alt text?
Often yes, particularly when the image conveys information that a student would otherwise miss.
Should I prioritize frequently reused decks?
Yes. Just as with syllabi, reusable materials are the best place to start because the effort compounds.
A Practical Place to Start
If you distribute lecture slides alongside Word documents, review those materials for accessibility and use AdaDocumentMaker on accompanying Word handouts or syllabus files.