MS PowerPoint Transition Tab With Screen Readers

Overview

Microsoft PowerPoint’s “Transition” tab is one of the key tabs in the PowerPoint ribbon interface, offering various options to control how your slides transition from one to another during a presentation. Below is an overview of the key groups and functions you’ll find in the Transition tab:

Preview Group:

• Preview: Play a preview of the selected transition effect on the current slide.

Transition to This Slide Group:

• Transition Effect: Choose the desired transition effect that will occur when moving to the current slide during a presentation.
• Transition Options: Access additional options related to the selected transition effect, such as direction, speed, and sound.

Timing Group:

• Duration: Set the time (in seconds) for how long the slide will be displayed during the presentation before transitioning to the next slide.
• Delay: Add a delay (in seconds) before the transition begins after advancing to the slide.
• Advance Slide: Determine when the slide should advance, either on mouse click or after a specified time.

Advance Slide Group:

• On Mouse Click: Set the slide to advance to the next one when you click your mouse.
• Automatically After: Specify a time duration for automatic advancement to the next slide.

Transition Sound Group:

• Sound: Add a sound effect that accompanies the transition.

Transition Options Group:

• Effect Options: Depending on the selected transition effect, you can customize additional effect-specific options here.

Apply to All Group:

• Apply to All: Apply the same transition effect and settings to all slides in your presentation.

Transition Preview Group:

• Preview: Play a preview of the selected transition effect on the current slide.

The Transition tab allows you to control how your slides flow and change during a presentation, making your PowerPoint presentation more engaging and visually appealing. You can choose from a variety of transition effects, adjust their timing, and even add sound effects to enhance your presentation’s impact.

Navigation In Transitions Tab Using Screen Readers

Using a screen reader in Microsoft PowerPoint’s “Transition” tab allows you to control how slides transition during a presentation. Here are steps on how to use the functions of the Transition tab with a screen reader:

1. Open PowerPoint and Load Your Presentation:

   Launch Microsoft PowerPoint and open the presentation you want to work on.

2. Navigate to the Transition Tab:

   Use the keyboard shortcut or screen reader command to navigate to the Transition tab. Typically, you can use the “Alt” key in combination with the “A” key (Alt+A) to access the Transition tab. The screen reader should announce when you’re on the Transition tab.

3. Select the Current Slide:

   Use screen reader navigation commands to select the slide you want to apply the transition to. Ensure the focus is on the slide you want to work with.

4. Explore the Transition to This Slide Group:
   • The Transition to This Slide group allows you to choose the transition effect for the selected slide.
   • Use screen reader navigation to select the desired transition effect from the list of options.
5. Adjust Timing and Advance Options:
   • Explore the Timing and Advance Slide groups to set the duration, delay, and advance options for the selected slide.
   • Adjust these settings using screen reader navigation and text input as needed.
6. Add Transition Sound (Optional):
   • In the Transition Sound group, you can choose to add a sound effect to accompany the transition.
   • Navigate to the “Sound” option and select the desired sound, if applicable.
7. Apply Transition to All Slides (Optional):

   If you want to apply the same transition to all slides in your presentation, use screen reader navigation to locate the “Apply to All” button in the Apply to All group.

8. Preview the Transition:
   • In the Transition Preview group, you can preview how the selected transition effect will look and sound.
   • Navigate to the “Preview” button and activate it to see the transition in action.
9. Review and Repeat:

   Use your screen reader to review the settings for each slide in your presentation, making adjustments as necessary.

10. Save Your Work:

    Periodically save your presentation using the “Ctrl+S” keyboard shortcut or by navigating to the “File” tab and selecting “Save.”

11. Exit PowerPoint:

    When you’re done working on your presentation, save your changes and exit PowerPoint using the screen reader commands or keyboard shortcuts.

Shortcut Key Commands

Microsoft PowerPoint doesn’t have dedicated keyboard shortcuts for every function within the Transition tab. However, you can use standard keyboard shortcuts and navigation keys to access and adjust transition settings. Here are some common keyboard shortcuts and navigation methods to perform functions related to transitions in PowerPoint:

• Access the Transition Tab:

  To access the Transition tab in PowerPoint, you can typically use the keyboard shortcut Alt+A. This will activate the Transition tab, and your screen reader should announce it.

• Select a Transition Effect:

  To select a transition effect for a slide, use the arrow keys or type the first letter of the transition effect you want. For example, typing “F” selects the “Fade” transition.

• Access Transition Options:

  After selecting a transition effect, you can access transition options by pressing the Tab key to move through the available settings. Use the arrow keys and Enter to make selections and adjustments.

• Apply Transition to All Slides:

  To apply the same transition to all slides, you can use the keyboard shortcut Alt+A, then A. This opens a dropdown menu, and you can navigate through it using arrow keys and Enter.

• Preview Transitions:

  To preview transitions on a slide, press Shift+F5 to start the slide show from the current slide. Use the arrow keys to navigate between slides and observe the transitions.