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Module 9: Making Vital Background Information Accessible

In Module 9 of the How to Author and Test Microsoft PowerPoint Presentations for Accessibility video series, learn how to ensure that vital information, created as a watermark or placed in the Header of Footer of the slide, can be accessed by assistive technology.

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Voice Over (VO): Accessible Electronic Document Community of Practice, AED-COP.

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VO: You are watching how to author and test Microsoft PowerPoint presentations for accessibility.

VO: This is Module 9, making vital background information accessible. This video is one in a series showing how to make a PowerPoint presentation, Section 508 Conformant.

VO: When adding content to slides, vital information might be placed on the slide master created as a watermark or placed in the header or footer of the slide.

VO: When doing this, the content cannot be accessed by assistive technology. Therefore, vital information must be represented in the body of the slide and headers and footers must be enabled.

VO: To enable headers and footers in your presentation, select the Insert tab. Then in the text group, select Header and Footer.

VO: Check the Footer option, type in the vital information, and select Apply. Look for vital information in the headers, footers, and watermarks.

VO: Vital information may include text such as respond by ex-date, confidential, or do not distribute.

VO: To determine if this vital information is included in the reading order, go to the Home tab in the drawing group, select Arrange, then Selection Pane.

VO: Can the vital information be selected within the selection pane? If not, the document fails this test.

VO: When we navigate to the selection pane, we are not able to select the word confidential.

VO: This example is not accessible because this vital information is not included in the reading order.

VO: On this slide, the header contains the vital information do not distribute. When we navigate to the selection pane, we are able to select this information.

VO: This example is considered accessible. Thank you for watching Module 9.

VO: You are encouraged to watch the other modules in this video series and revisit modules to gain a mastery of the information provided.

VO: To learn more about Section 508, visit www.section508.gov. This video is a product of the Accessible Electronic Document Community of Practice, Chief Information Officers Council, and the Federal Aviation Administration.

Reviewed/Updated: March 2026

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