Helping audience members with low vision better engage in a presentation

As a professional speaker, it’s important to not only convey information to your audience, but also to do this in a way that ensures every audience member feels acknowledged, valued, and cared for. This is especially important when it comes to audience members with low vision, as they may face unique challenges in engaging with a presentation. Providing accommodations for individuals with low vision is a crucial aspect of this, as it demonstrates a genuine commitment to inclusivity and respect for all members of your audience. By acknowledging the needs of those with low vision, you can create an environment where everyone feels welcome and able to fully participate in the presentation or event.

In this post, we’ll explore several strategies that you can use to help audience members with low vision better engage with you and your content. From reserving front row seats and using high contrast colours, to providing written materials and more readable fonts, there are many ways to ensure that all members of your audience can participate and benefit from your presentation. After all, what are inclusion and access about, if not equal opportunities for all? Let’s explore five such ideas you can implement to create a more inclusive and engaging experience for audience members who are visually impaired.

5 Tips for helping audience members with low vision better engage

In this section, we’ll explore five specific strategies you can use to help audience members with low vision better engage in your presentations. From offering accommodations in advance to encouraging questions, these tips will help you create a more inclusive environment that allows all members of your audience to engage with your content.

01. Proactively ask for accommodations: The first step in making your presentation accessible to audience members with low vision is to begin by asking them what accommodations they might need. This could include providing printed materials with a larger font size, a digital format that can be magnified, or describing any visual aids as they are brought up. By asking in advance, you can ensure that the necessary accommodations are in place and that your audience members with low vision have the same opportunities to participate as other attendees. It’s important to remember that every individual with low vision will be unique, and so will be their needs, expectations, and preferences when it comes to accessing information. Being proactive and asking for input allows you to create a more inclusive environment that facilitates engagement for all members of your audience.

02. Reserve seats near the front of the room: When it comes to seating arrangements, considering the needs of those with low vision will lead to opportunities for them to sit closer to the front of the room, where it will be easier to see you and any visual aids or props you might use. This will help them follow along more easily and better understand what’s being presented. In addition, sitting near the front can help reduce distractions for these attendees, and allow more focus on the presentation. The lighting and other environmental factors also matter, as they might affect the visibility of the presentation for audience members with low vision. For example, if the room is poorly lit or causes glare on the screen, this can make it more difficult for people to see the presentation. By ensuring that the lighting and other environmental factors are conducive to visibility, you can improve the overall accessibility of the presentation for your audience.

03. Use high contrast colours: Using high contrast colours will make your presentation more visible and easier to read for audience members who are colourblind, but it will also help those who have low vision! High contrast colours are ones that have significant differences in terms of luminosity, such as dark grey text on a white background or light grey on a dark navy background. By using high contrast colours, you can help improve the legibility and readability of your presentation for those in your audience who have low vision. When choosing colours for your presentation, it’s important to consider the needs of all members of your audience, including those with low vision. Some colour combinations, such as light blue or pale yellow, can be difficult to perceive against certain background colours. By using highly contrasted colours, you will help ensure that your presentation is easy to read and understand for all members of your audience.

04. Increase the font size: Increasing the size of the text is a simple but effective accommodation that can help audience members who benefit from magnification better engage with your presentation. By using a larger font size, you can make it easier for these individuals to read text on slides or other visual aids from a distance. This can be especially helpful if the room is large or if the audience members are seated further back in the room. When choosing a font size, it is important to consider the size of the room and the distance from which the text will be viewed. A larger font size may also be helpful for audience members who have difficulty reading small print due to other disabilities or age-related vision changes. In general, a font size of 18 points or larger is considered to be easy to read for most people. However, the optimal font size will vary depending on the specific needs and preferences of your audience.

05. Verbally describing visual assets: Verbally describing visual assets for audience members with low vision is a vital part of creating an inclusive experience. This goes beyond simply describing the visual elements themselves: it also includes describing any important details that may not be immediately visible or noticeable, such as subtle changes or movements within the image, or the relationship between different elements on the slide, etc. This is especially important when the visuals are not the main focus of the presentation, but provide important context or background information. The verbal explanations can be provided through different methods, such as being incorporated as a part of the presentation, or through a separate channel, like headphones or even through a live interpretation. This way, audience members with low vision can fully understand and engage with the presentation, and feel that much more included in the experience.

Considering the needs and preferences of the audience

In addition to the tips outlined above, there are many other strategies you can use to make your presentations more accessible. For example, you can provide transcripts of any audio or video content, and use clear, concise language. By making the appropriate accommodations and taking the time to consider the needs of your audience members who have low vision, you can create a presentation that is more accessible and more enjoyable for everyone.

These five rather simple ideas are just a few among many that you can leverage as a speaking professional to make your presentations more accessible and inclusive. Audience members will feel a sense of relief and validation when they realize that you’ve taken extra steps to make the experience inclusive for them, and will feel included, respected, and valued. They might even be more likely to fully engage with the presentation, and feel more confident about participating in any future discussions or activities, or more comfortable attending similar events in the future. This is the kind of power you can have. Are you ready to make a difference?