PowerPoint for Inclusive Learning — 5 Expert Tips

Accessibility is often treated as an extra—something only needed by people who use screen readers, navigate with a keyboard, or rely on high-contrast visuals. However, the truth is that clear, flexible, and easy-to-use content benefits everyone.

Real learners are often studying on the go: on their phones, in the subway, in low light, or without the option to play audio. If you use PowerPoint to create accessible e-learning content, this article will walk you through how to make it more inclusive—and way more usable for today’s learners.

What Makes a Course Accessible?

If you’ve ever looked into accessibility, you’ve probably come across the acronym POUR. It comes from the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), the global accessibility standard that helps make digital content work for everyone. The POUR framework breaks accessibility down into four core principles:

• Perceivable. Your content should be easy to see, hear, or read. If a learner can’t perceive your content in at least one way, it’s simply not accessible.

• Operable. Learners should be able to navigate your course and interact with it, whether they’re using a mouse, keyboard, or assistive technology.

• Understandable. The content needs to be clear, predictable, and easy to follow. That applies to both the language you use and how your slides are structured.

• Robust. Your course should hold up across platforms, devices, browsers, and assistive tools.

In the US, accessibility is also guided by Section 508, a federal requirement for making digital content usable by people with disabilities.

5 Expert Tips on Inclusive E-Learning Design

Anna Poli, a senior instructional designer at iSpring and an advocate for learning inclusivity, shared seven strategies for designing accessible e-learning that she actually uses in her courses and promotes to her students:

#1. Use clear, consistent layouts and headings.

When your layout follows a predictable structure, learners spend less mental energy figuring out how to engage and more on what they’re learning. Stick to one or two master layouts throughout your deck, and use heading fonts, sizes, and spacing consistently.

With clear headings, you’ll organize information both visually and logically, making it easier to scan, remember, and revisit key points. They’re also helpful for navigation, especially if your course will be published online or in an LMS.

#2. Use captions or transcripts for audio/video content.

Multimedia can make a course more engaging, but only if learners can access the content. When recording audio in PowerPoint, provide a short transcript in the notes section or as on-screen text.

For videos, you can add open captions directly on the slide or provide a downloadable transcript nearby.

Captions also have an unexpected benefit—they can help improve retention. Seeing and hearing content simultaneously reinforces the message and supports different learning preferences.

#3. Strike the balance with animations.

In PowerPoint, stick to purposeful, consistent effects like “Fade” or “Appear,” and avoid complex motion paths or timed builds unless they’re truly adding value. A good rule of thumb is this: If the animation doesn't support understanding, it probably doesn't need to be there.

#4. Use color and contrast with intention.

Avoid using color alone to indicate correct answers, progress, or categories. Pair it with text, icons, or patterns so the message is always clear. Be sure to test contrast on the actual devices your learners use. That perfect gray-on-blue combo might pass in your office but disappear completely on a projector or mobile screen.

Use tools like PowerPoint’s Accessibility Checker, but also trust your eye, especially for small text, light backgrounds, or overlays on photos.

#5. Ensure course accessibility after publishing.

When converting PowerPoint to e-learning, make sure your publishing tool carries that accessibility setup across the finish line.

Some platforms strip out things like reading order, alt text, or keyboard navigation during export. Look for PowerPoint add-on authoring tools that support SCORM export, preserve accessibility features, and offer a responsive course player that adapts to different screens and input types.

It’s even better if it includes an accessibility mode that improves navigation for assistive technologies. That way, your efforts aren’t lost in the final version that learners actually interact with.