Accessible Presentation Situation

An accessible presentation situation enables all participants to follow, understand, participate, and learn. By paying attention to accessibility, you also make the presentation clearer for yourself.

Use the checklist below to put accessibility into practice. It highlights what you should consider before, during, and after the presentation. On this page, you will also find an example prompt for practicing a presentation situation with generative AI, as well as practical tips for an accessible Teams meeting.

Checklist for Accessible Presentations

Before the presentation

• Do you know your audience? Identify any interpreting needs.
• Plan the content and structure: use a clear structure, simple language, spell out abbreviations, and provide a summary in advance.
• Prepare visual materials accessibly: be ready to describe essential visual elements aloud. If necessary, check your materials against the guidelines in Accessible Content and Material.
• Check the room, equipment, and applications:
  • In a physical space, test lighting, microphones, and presentation equipment.
  • In a digital space, learn how the meeting platform works, how to share your screen, and how to adjust audio/video. Choose a quiet room with a good microphone and camera. Ensure stable internet connection.

During the presentation

• Speak clearly and calmly, repeat participants’ questions, and describe what appears on the slides. If you use graphs or tables, describe how they are structured and what they illustrate.
• Use different ways to enable participation: voting, gestures, speech, chat. Give the audience time to respond.
• Take advantage of the space and technology:
  • In a physical room, use a microphone whenever possible; adjust lighting so gestures and movement are visible.
  • In a digital space, look at the camera, and stop screen sharing when the focus shifts to discussion.

After the presentation

• Share the materials in an accessible format. Add captions to the recording or provide a summary.
• Ask for feedback on accessibility and clarity.
• Evaluate your own performance from an accessibility perspective and improve for next time.

Practicing an Accessible Presentation with AI

You can practice your presentation by interacting with a generative AI service (e.g., Copilot, ChatGPT, Gemini).

1. Write the following prompt: “I want to practice a speech on the topic [your topic]. Write a practice speech with an introduction, three main points, and a conclusion. I would also like tips on voice use and presentation style.”
2. Review the structure and content provided by the AI. You can request clarifications, examples, or edits.
3. Practice the speech out loud using the outline. Many AI tools support voice input, allowing you to ask: “Listen to my speech and give feedback on clarity, structure, and presentation style.”
4. You can also ask the AI to create evaluation criteria or a self‑assessment checklist.

Example Prompt for Designing an Accessible Presentation

“Can you help me design an accessible presentation situation? I need guidance on what to consider before the presentation (preparation, materials, room setup), during the presentation (clarity, interaction, describing content, technical accessibility), and after the presentation (feedback, documentation, follow-up). Please provide concrete tips and examples from an accessibility perspective.”

Accessible Online Meeting

Online meetings include several accessibility considerations that make participation easier regardless of participants’ abilities. Accessibility improves when you use video, add captions, and provide a recording.