A slide recorder is a good investment for groups or departments that make several slide presentations each year. You then send the film out to be developed, or you can use instant slide film for quicker turnaround. Many medical school graphics departments have slide recorders and make them available to others. When only an overhead projector is available, color transparencies can greatly enhance your presentation. Splashes of color can be used to highlight important points and help maintain the interest of the audience.
Most color printers work on specially designed transparency film.
If you're using an ink-jet printer, a page may take several minutes to print. There is a growing library of slide presentations on the Internet that are available for downloading. Having access to a collection of slides can be a dramatic time-saver. You can preview what is available, select and download the most useful slides for a particular audience, add whatever material is necessary to fill the gaps, and be up and running with a professional presentation in a very short time. Many colleges are getting involved is this type of information sharing.