Microsoft PowerPoint is a popular presentation application that is widely used across many mediums. Maybe you’ve used it to read presentations from conferences or perhaps you’ve explored its basic functions, but have you ever considered its true impact and potential?
As a JAWS user, the benefits of creating visually appealing PowerPoint presentations might not be immediately evident, but the use of images, audio and graphics to convey an idea can significantly impact your audience. Here are 4 reasons to incorporate powerful visuals into your next presentation.
1. Visuals Are Attention-Grabbing
As a presenter, you need to grab the attention of your audience from the very beginning. While your words are certainly important, those who can see the presentation will need more to become fully engaged.
Think of it as showing rather than telling. You are literally creating a balance by illustrating the text points in your slides to convey a message, and what better way to do this than through powerful pictures, videos and graphics to pique their interest.
As a non-visual user, you might have difficulty choosing images. If so, don’t hesitate to consult with sighted individuals to find the right visuals. Your slides will be more compelling and memorable as a result.
2. Visuals Make the Text Easier to Understand
Visuals add another dimension to the text on your slides and give your content clarity. Remember, your audience may be comprised of all types of learners, so those who rely heavily on visual content to illustrate a point would be lost without it just as a screen reader user wouldn’t be able to follow a presentation that didn’t include text.
3. Visuals Make the Information More Memorable
A combination of short text and a great visual on a slide will not only make your content more engaging to the audience but will also help get the information into their long-term memory. This is because images and graphics help visual learners process your words more quickly while leaving a lasting impression.
4. Visuals Inspire Action
If you want your audience to react to what you are telling them, visuals are a great way to make this happen. Whether your goal is to raise awareness about a particular issue or inspire a specific action, pictures and graphics that send a direct message can be quite powerful.
Want more tips on creating and reading PowerPoint presentations? Join us in our virtual classroom tomorrow at noon Eastern for FS Skill Building and Review, Improving JAWS Skills in PowerPoint. In this task-based training, we’ll show you how to insert content into a slide, demonstrate the new JAWS feature for reading presentations, provide useful tips and more.
Will these presentations be recorded? As a Teacher of the Visually Impaired, I would love to read/listen to the information but am unable to attend the live event.