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Lightning Talks: Online Accessibility Checklist

General advice and resources on developing and presenting a lightning talk

Online Accessibility Checklist

Voice & Sound- Audio Practices:

❑ Give your name when you start speaking.

❑ Use a microphone consistently and speak slowly.

❑ Minimize background noise and read chat questions aloud before responding.

Slides & Visuals- Accessible Slide Design:

❑ Use a simple template with strong contrast and readable fonts.

❑ Alt text for images.

❑ Strong contrast between text and background. Dark on light or light on dark. Beware of bright color combinations.

❑ Readable fonts in a simple sans-serif style, with an optional second font for titles and headings.

❑ Legible text that is 24 pt or larger on most slides and has sufficient blank space between lines and around sections.

❑ Use bullet points in slides and keep content streamlined so attendees can follow along.

❑ Use nested bullet points to show relationships.

❑ Make sure links have unique, descriptive names that describe the link destination, not just “link” or “here.”

❑ Do not use color alone to communicate information. For example, link text can be blue and underlined, parts of a bar graph can be color-coded and labeled in text.

❑ Add descriptive slide titles to introduce sections.

❑ Add descriptions of visual content (e.g. graphics, images, gifs) to the “Presenter’s Notes” section for each slide.

Content & Climate- Presentation Content:

❑ Provide context to make references meaningful (experiences and cultural touchpoints are not universal).

❑ Provide an overview of what is to be presented; note sensitive content.

❑ Avoid jargon (spell out acronyms, give plain language definitions).

❑ Acknowledge contributors (e.g., research participants, IT support, ancestral inhabitants, the audience).

❑ Narrate interactive elements (interactive polls, moving gifs, or chat messages)

 

(Generative AI in Libraries (GAIL) Virtual Conference, 2024)