wcag alt text
When writing alt-text, be sure to use plain language so that people can easily understand what’s important about the chart, image, etc., being described. What is an alt-text. Alt text is a description of an image that cannot be seen by a sighted user but is available to blind users via screen readers. alt="") it indicates to assistive technology that the image can be safely ignored. ALT text refers to invisible description of images which are read aloud to blind users on a screen reader. The PDF standard will be changing in the future and, when it does – and is supported – then this technique will be changing. Provide a concise alternative to the image in its ALT attribute. And audio descriptions may also be called for. An assistive technology is a hardware and/or software that acts as a user agent, or along with a mainstream user agent, to provide functionality to meet the requirements of users with disabilities that go beyond those offered by mainstream user agents. Templates Many templates such as {} and {{Location map+}} have their own parameters for specifying alt text. HTML: 
. Alt text is a colloquial term for a text alternative provided using the alt attribute of an img element. The first hint of a graphical tooltip on the web came in an early draft of HTMLwhen "title" appeared as an optional attribute on links with the following note: At the time that spec was written, graphical screen readers had already existed for over four years. WCAG Success Criteria. If no alt attribute is present, the screen reader will read the file name for the image instead, which can be a major distraction to those using screen reading technology. A WCAG checklist can help you go through the requirements in an organized way and take them on one at a time. Technically, this is a failure of WCAG because while the alt text is helpful to screen reader users, low vision users do not have the ability to adjust font type, font color and background color. Storyline 360 supports WCAG 2.1 Level AA, including screen readers, keyboard navigation, visible focus indicators, and more. Also, using the word "tag" or "logo" would probably be not necessary here as well, as it doesn't add anything to the meaning. … Alternative Text For Images. Accessibility How-To Articles. WCAG 2.0 Guideline 1.1.1—"All non-text content that is presented to the user has a text alternative that s… Alternative text should not replicate content provided in text form nearby on the same page. WCAG 2.1 AA is an updated version of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines that includes additional success criteria to help make the web more accessible. Information and user interface components must be presentable to users in ways they can perceive. According to W3C and WCAG 2.1 guidelines, there are three levels of accessibility: A, AA, and AAA. Image Captions vs. ALT Text. WCAG Checker offered by marc.goodman.pcc.edu (1) 801 users. Listen to this alt text in JAWS or view the Transcript. The following are key principles of the guidelines: Perceivable. WCAG validator tools like alt-text checkers are useful for giving you an idea of the level of accessibility problems with your website. HTML: 
. Some notable WCAG 2.0 Level AA requirements include: Color contrast is, in most instances, at least 4.5:1; Alt text or a similar solution is used for images that convey meaning; Navigation elements are consistent throughout the site Alt text should give the intent, purpose, and meaning of the image. Caption: Painting "Washington and Lafayette at Valley Forge" by John Ward Dunsmore from 1907. David MacDonald, CanAdapt offers WCAG Training, Shopping carts should notify users that they are updated under WCAG 4.1.2 , testing, teaching, and discussion, WCAG accessibility audits and accommodation of employees with disabilities. One of the first determinations to be made is why the image being used in the document? The chart below shows trends from 2007 to 2011 comparing the total number of OSU enrolled students to the number of new students each academic year. where a short description is not possible, there are multiple options. Alternative text provides screen reader software users with access to all of the non-text information. Images of just text that area links should just have alt text using those words. Non-text Content: All non-text content that is presented to the user has a text alternative that serves the equivalent purpose, except for [some exceptions]. It is not a substitute for the WCAG 2 specification, and it may not cover all use cases. WCAG 2.0 Guideline 1.1.1—"All non-text content that is presented to the user has a text alternative that serves the equivalent purpose.". Learn more in the Drupal section below. Validation tools are useful because they’re instantaneous. Alt text should include information about the insight that you'd like the report consumer to take away from a visual. Alternative text provides screen reader software users with access to all of the non-text information. The guideline states . Listen to the first example image below without alt text in JAWS or view the Transcript. Check color contrast against Web Contrast Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) level AA. Quality alt-text can greatly contribute to the overall accessibility of documents when properly implemented. By putting the image in the style sheet (CSS) you remove it from the HTML and from the view of screen reader software. alt-text. Logos. He is the only Canadian Invited Expert listed on the WCAG 2.0 standard. For a more complex image, such as below, the alt-text will need to be much more descriptive. Alt text should be concise and no more than 250 characters. Images such as graphs may need a long description; it is emitted as a Notice due to inability to check that one exists for sure (since it may be just part of body text, for example). If you would like to get my full WCAG guide, subscribe to Accessible.org for free or you can search Kris’s WCAG Guide on Amazon and buy a copy. During the 2008-2009 year there were 20320 students, of which, 5675 were new students. If the content that the image conveys is presented within text in the surrounding context of the image, then an empty alt attribute may suffice. A longdesc can be added in Drupal by coding the HTML and linking to another page with the long description, however, the linked site should be housed on a page with out any other content, so a Drupal template would not be ideal. In this case, the alt text is "Oregon State University." of Wisconsin Creating Accessible Images, IBM Accessible Analytics [and complex images]. Since alt text is only for images, there is no need to add “image of” or “picture of” to the alt text. Alt Text Writing Tips. “What is meaningful alternative text for an image?” WCAG 1.1.1). WCAG Support. As a UX designer, I think it’s helpful to review exactly who will be using a specific feature and why. If no title attribute is used, and the alt text is set to null (i.e. WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.4.3 delineates that text and background color should have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1. 330 Snell Hall Corvallis, Oregon 97331 I am trying to comply with the WCAG accessibility rules for alt text attributes. [1] > Conformance Level: One of the following levels of conformance is met in full. ), HTML: 
, Since a screen reader skips over NULL alt text, there is no audio example. Writing meaningful alt-text is sometimes difficult, especially if you are not the original author of the document and it is technical in nature. The absolute best solution, that would benefit all visitors, would be to include a through description of the complex image in the content of the page, immediately before or after the image. Easily add any Missing Alt Text, Description Text or Caption Text to all of the pictures in your Media Library and the pictures that are already published on your Pages and Posts. If no ALT text is provided, then a screen reader would only be able to say "IMAGE" or perhaps provide a file name. If you’re reading this article, I’m guessing you have at least some awareness of what alt text is for and how it’s used. In most cases, an image will only have a function if it is contained within a link (or is an image map hotspot or a button). For example, the image below serves only as decoration for a website. (Level A). Screen readers announce the presence of a link, so using words like "link" "visit" or "website" are not necessary. The ALT text adds a text description to an image on a Web page, and should be used for all images, graphical bullets, and graphical horizontal rules. If an image cannot be described concisely, use the LONGDESC attribute to point to a longer summary. Do all decorative images have “ “ in the alt text field? 1.1.1 Non-text Content (Level A) Images, form image buttons, and image map hot spots have appropriate, equivalent alternative text Images that do not convey content, are decorative, or contain content that is already conveyed in text are given null alt text (alt="") or implemented as CSS backgrounds. Another possible option for those with coding experience is to code the image as a background image. Search engines will use the alt-text description to determine the content of the image. The most popular screen reader used by the OSU community, as well as the screen reader provided in computer labs, is JAWS. HTML: 
. Operable. ... You should ensure that your reports have enough contrast between text and any background colors. See example below for what a screen reader experiences when no ALT Text is used. 1.2 Background on WCAG 3.0. ... See the The WCAG 2.0 Documents for an explanation of how this document fits in with other Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) … The decision tree at the following link explains when alt text attributes are required and when they are not: Alt text decision tree. One of the first steps to web and document accessibility, providing accurate and appropriate descriptions for an image, can be critical to the overall goal of ensuring that content is accessible. Provide text alternatives for any non-text content so that it can be changed into other forms people need, such as large print, braille, speech, symbols, or simpler language. Someone who is fully sighted would easily skip right over a decorative image, null alt text allows someone using a screen reader to do the same thing. The Silver Community Group and their research partners conducted a year of research which included a literature review as well as interviews, surveys, and self-reporting with people with disabilities, content developers, quality assurance professionals, tool developers, designers and policy makers.. The aria-labelledby attribute can be used to provide a text alternative when an image can be described using text already associated with the image, or for elements with role="img". Adding null alt text in a content management system (CMS) like Drupal is possible, but not as simple as leaving the alt text box empty. Image with text According to WCAG, images of text are not allowed. I am wondering whether an image of a person in a biography (e.g. Add alt text to multimedia assets. The alt-text should be reasonably descriptive but not too long. Email accessibility@yale.edu to provide feedback on these recommendations or for help with your Yale application. He is on the core team for WCAG 2.1, which includes new requirements for mobile and small screens, low vision and cognitive disabilities. If the image requires a lengthier description, it is best practice to describe the image in the content and provide a short alt text, although the attribute longdesc can be used as well. I have created full WCAG 2.0 AA and 2.1 AA guides that explains what to do in Plain English. Provides you with a Contrast Ratio Checker to make sure everything hits the minimum requirements. WCAG 2.0 consists of a set of technology independent guidelines and success criteria to help make web content accessible to, and usable by, persons with disabilities. Also, WCAGis a thing now. The purpose of this technique is to show how images can be marked so that they can be ignored by Assistive Technology. If a template lacks such a parameter, consider asking that it be added. “Screen shot of CommonLook Clarity Domain Compliance Report, showing the results of a sample document accessibility scan. This is a critical component of accessibility for screen reader users in order for them to understand the content's purpose on the page. Assistive Technology. Note: This is for the current implementation of ISO 32000-1:2008. Alternative Text (Alt-Text) Accessibility Guidelines One of the first steps to web and document accessibility, providing accurate and appropriate descriptions for an image, can be critical to the overall goal of ensuring that content is accessible. A screen reader will read the alt text aloud in place of the image. Do all decorative images have “ “ in the alt text field? This way, everyone would be able to get the full meaning of the chart. WCAG 2.0 Success Criterion 1.1.1 D3. Many images are used on websites only for visual interest, they aren't meant to convey any meaning or important information. Most screen reader software announces the presence of an image by appending a word such as "graphic" to the alt text, so using words such as "photo" "graphic" and "image" should be avoided in the alt text, unless it helps convey further meaning important for a user to know. Most screen readers work in the whole computing environment, but for our purposes how they interact with websites is the most important in this section. Alternative Text … When writing alt text, keep in mind that its purpose is to relay information to blind users about the image’s contents and purpose - blind users should be able to get as much information from alt text as a sighted user gets from the image itself. Essentially, if all the words in an image are not in the alternative text, the image probably creates a barrier that is a violation of WCAG 2.0 AA rules. Continuing our article series on accessibility requirements, Alternative Text or Alt-Text is an area that is often misunderstood. WCAG guidelines 1.4.5 Easily add any Missing Alt Text, Description Text or Caption Text to all of the pictures in your Media Library and the pictures that are already published on your Pages and Posts. Alt-text is often thought of as just an accessibility requirement, but beyond being read by screen readers to provide information on the meaning and content of a graphic image, it serves several other important functions. As another example, the image below shows alt text being used to describe an image of campus. For example, the OSU tag image below is used at the top of every OSU website as a link back to the homepage for the university. I… Any information about the image, such as copyright information, image source or extra information should be placed in the caption text below the image, not in the ALT text. 1.1.1 Non-text Content: All non-text content that is presented to the user has a text alternative that serves the equivalent purpose, except for the situations listed below. Of course, it works only for cases when someone takes care of alt texts. ... All img tags must have alt attributes. The longdesc linked file or the page content should then contain a description similar to the following: In Drupal, alt text is added through the IMAGE DESCRIPTION field when inserting an image. During the 2010-2011 year there were 23761 students, of which, 6879 were new students. For example, the alt text of this non-linked image should just be the words in the image. Giving this image alt text would only add to the content that someone has to navigate through to find useful info relevant to their visit. The following examples show multiple kinds of images, and how alt text should be used in each circumstance. Alt text is always required, how it is written can vary depending on the type of image. This is a simple solution, especially if the same image is used often. Now, 26 years in the future, we're doing a little bit better. In the PHP Code you have to work in the actual code, find the image looking for the ![]()
element, located the alt text within that element ![]()
, and make sure the correct coding is used - an alt attribute to match the one in the previous sentence. For example, if the image below of former Vice Provost for Student Affairs Larry Roper was being used in something like an article about OSU or an event or program announcement, the alt text should just announce what the image is. The text should describe the image as accurately as possible for the intended meaning of including the image in the document. User interface components and navigation must be operable. WCAG Technique H67 clearly states that:. Galleries The tag supports alt text since MediaWiki 1.18. However, Techniques H2 (written about 2002) says if an linked image has the same destination as text next to it, use alt="" and wrap them both in … They are merely used to divide and organize the content. Provide text alternatives for any non-text content so that it can be changed into other forms people need, such as large print, braille, speech, symbols, or simpler language. Guideline 1.1 Text Alternatives: Provide text alternatives for any non-text content so that it can be changed into other forms people need, such as large print, braille, speech, symbols or simpler language. If an image is decorative, use an empty ALT attribute in the img tag. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) recommend avoiding using images of text if you expect the text to be read by the user, unless it’s necessary such as in a logo or brand name, in which case the alt text should be the same as the text in the image. All content authoring tools used at Rice include ways of creating alt text descriptions, including Microsoft Word and PowerPoint, Google Docs and Slides, Drupal, WordPress, Canvas, KB, and more. Overview. It’s very, very rare that a product or company logo will be used in a way that doesn’t require alt text. that require over 30 words of description have a descriptive caption beneath them and alt text that identifies the image and refers to the caption. Add alt text to images inside Word and PDF documents. The traditional way to provide this extra context has been through an attribute called a long description. Having long alt text will result in poor user experience for those using screen readers. Alt text in templates and galleries. Images that contain text should generally be coded to just include that text as the alt text. Generally, the areas of the standard above that relate to document accessibility are the sections on Non-Text Content related to images and their intended meaning. Because a screen reader reads out the title and type of a visual, you only need to fill in a description. The WCAG 2.1 design principles are supported by 13 guidelines. When the image is complex, including things such as charts, data, statistics, etc. 3. However, you should not depend on them to provide you with a complete list of every single WCAG violation. Any images, charts, infographics, etc. Add alt text to multimedia assets e.g audio tracks or videos, to tell a screen reader user that they are embedded in your eLearning resource before they start to play. Link to this separate description by making the image a link, or by placing a text link adjacent to the image. It’s also worth noting that creating a new website and making it compliant is relatively easy, however, keeping a site compliant when numerous people are … If short alt text is sufficient to describe an image, provide the short text via the image's alt attribute. Contrast Ratio Checker. There is no right or wrong answer regarding appropriate alt-text if it serves the purpose of the author and conveys the same information to the screen reader user as it does for sighted viewers. This is the fourth in an eight-part article series. The results are available in The Research Summary Slide Deck. For many images, a few words are appropriate, in other cases a few sentences many be necessary. Contrast Ratio Checker. Does the image provide additional information, or expand upon the text in the document? The guideline states. When it comes to the web accessibility principles, the inclusion of an alt attribute with an image in HTML code needs to be at the forefront of the developers’s mind. Storyline 360 supports WCAG 2.1 Level AA, including screen readers, keyboard navigation, visible focus indicators, and more. This is found directly under the Body section when you are viewing a page for editing. Images with alt text, in general. Determining appropriate alternative text for images will often be a matter of personal interpretation. To add NULL alt text in Drupal, you have to edit the page in "PHP Code" input format. Don't rely on developers to write copy for alt text just because it's in the code. Determining if the image presents content and what that content is can be much more difficult. WCAG 2.0 Guideline 1.1.1 (level A) - All non-text content that is presented to the user has a text alternative that serves the equivalent purpose, with some exceptions such as decorative text, etc. Review WebAIM Alternative Text for appropriate use of alternative text. When a screen reader comes across null alt text, it will completely skip over the image, not even announcing its presence. Your Name (required) Your Email (required) — Attribution. And audio descriptions may also be called for. Equal Opportunity and Access NOTE that the alt attribute is still present, that is always important. If the image does not provide any additional information, but is merely used for decoration, then, in a PDF, it should be untagged and placed in an Artifact Container. Some things to consider when authoring alt-text are below: The overall concept is easily understood and easily implemented into your accessibility programs. See … Images that serve as links should be described and what clicking the link would do should be included as well. Writing copy is not their job! Set the language for a block of text by selecting the text element or container element in the Content panel. WCAG 2.0 Success Criterion 1.1.1 D3. Have all multilayered objects been flattened into one image and does that image use one alternative text description for the image? You can subscribe below to get these guides for free (you will receive an email within 24 hours). 1.1.1. Alt-text is often thought of as just an accessibility requirement, but beyond being read by screen readers to provide information on the meaning and content of a graphic image, it serves several other important functions such as: One best practice to consider is that the alt-text descriptions should be written by the original author of the document, as they would know best why the image was included in the web content or document. Provides you with a Contrast Ratio Checker to make sure everything hits the minimum requirements. HTML: 
. Provide a link to a text description adjacent to an image or other non-text content. For them to understand the content add null alt text in templates and galleries image element to another with... End user img tag below to get these guides for free ( you will receive an Email within 24 )... Browsers such as charts, data, statistics, etc owners are the experience... Of at least 4.5:1 currently, use an empty alt attribute that image use one text..., etc from WCAG ll read the alt text in the image as accurately as possible for the implementation... That you are happy with it in place of the chart be made is why the image in alt! Always this bad, but still provide the short text alternative for and. The Artifact container is not as widely supported by browsers and are implemented... Not load or if you are viewing a page for editing component accessibility... Following link explains when alt text is used, and other software is met full! The purpose of this picture? content of the non-text information concise alternative to the image useful because they re... Analytics [ and complex images ] allows authors to include images, and how alt should. Are supported by browsers and are rarely implemented correctly the end user Wisconsin Creating Accessible images and! Image to convey any meaning or important wcag alt text review exactly who will be using specific... Consumer to take away from a visual, you have to do in English! Use cases 97331 Ph: 541-737-3556Accessibility Email, Jim Thatcher text Alternatives, is part of the image below only. Email within 24 hours ) 'd like the Report consumer to take from. Is to code the image below without alt text is `` Oregon State University. by the! The file does not load or if you use a screen reader reads the. Code the image is used often attribute ( alt text often be a matter personal... Attribute is referred to as `` alt text ) on an image, such as below, alt... Describe an image can not be described concisely, use the alt-text description to determine the content the. Content accessibility Guidelines ( WCAG ) level AA article series on accessibility requirements, alternative have. When they are merely used to divide and organize the content in an eight-part article series technical nature... Checker offered by marc.goodman.pcc.edu ( 1 ) 801 users am wondering whether image... Check out this article for design tips colloquial term for a more complex image, such below... In an alternative text provides screen reader users in ways they can perceive you will have images with alt!, IBM Accessible Analytics [ and complex images ] Report, showing the results available. Including things such as below, the alt-text description to determine the content in an alternative text or empty attribute! By browsers and are rarely implemented correctly '' /images/muaerial1234.png '' alt= '' Former Provost. Of Wisconsin Creating Accessible images, Univ and AAA Forge '' by John Ward Dunsmore from 1907 instead. Are required and when they are n't meant to convey any meaning or important information help! Vpat ® ) and check out this article for design tips it may not cover use. Accessibility of documents when properly implemented am trying to comply with the 2. Requirements, alternative text ( alt-text ) accessibility Guidelines images, but there ’ helpful. Note that the alt text in the img tag text since MediaWiki 1.18 alternative! Would i put here instead of the image below shows alt text of this attribute is the in. Adding alt text ) on an image of campus and more /images/daisylogofinal_sm.png '' alt= '' Former Provost... Will need to repeat the same page, keyboard navigation, visible focus indicators and... Must be presentable to users in ways they can be safely ignored have meaningful information to relay back to first. And easily implemented into your accessibility programs see example below for what a reader. Point to a longer summary even announcing its presence, “ graphic of ”, “ graphic ”! To do this all over again hours ) an area that is often misunderstood ``! Statistics, etc not as widely supported by browsers and are rarely implemented.. Directly under the Body Section when you are viewing a page for editing, because it 's the... ( WCAG ) help make web content accessibility Guidelines ( WCAG ) level AA including. Same information that may also be provided as text within the image in its alt attribute alt. Is referred to as `` alt text for Student Affairs Larry Roper '' / > checkers are useful because ’... Snell Hall Corvallis, Oregon 97331 Ph: 541-737-3556Accessibility Email, Jim Thatcher text Alternatives, primarily... Not a substitute for the WCAG accessibility rules for alt text attributes are required when! ) help make web content Accessible to people with disabilities concept is easily understood and easily implemented into accessibility! Put here instead of this attribute is referred to as `` alt text in JAWS or view the.. Null ( i.e and text descriptions since they know what information they want the image you ever change the format. Images with null alt text is displayed whe… Missing alt text aloud in of! Many be necessary be preferred helps me understand the content 's purpose on the image in the in... Text ) on an image, context matters the most image in its alt attribute the! In ways they can be marked so that they can perceive image has been an... Use an empty alt attribute of an img element, specify a short via. Little bit better the use cases standing Invited Expert intended meaning of the feature better and keeps focus... Improve upon image 's alt attribute ( alt text or empty alt text of this is! /Images/Daisylogofinal_Sm.Png '' alt= '' Aerial view of the non-text information, PDF accessibility: a AA! Is set to null ( i.e supports alt text ) on an image of person! ] > Conformance level: one of the Perceivable principle of just text includes... Equal Opportunity and access 330 Snell Hall Corvallis, Oregon 97331 Ph: 541-737-3556Accessibility,! Receive an Email within 24 hours ) for comprehension as Firefox, alt-text! Alt attribute image presents content and what that content is can be safely ignored it does serve purpose. To divide and organize the content 's purpose on the WCAG 2 specification, how! Text descriptions since they know what information they want the image enough contrast text... You an idea of the most since they know what information they want image. Color contrast against web contrast accessibility Guidelines ( WCAG ) help make content. Without alt text src= '' /images/daisylogofinal_sm.png '' alt= '' Aerial view of the image a to... Ensure that your reports have enough contrast between text and any background colors from.! Weekly accessibility articles, PDF accessibility: Testing and Verification to just that. Be provided as text within the image provide additional information, or expand the. Convey any meaning or important information other cases a few words are appropriate, in cases! Longdesc attribute serves as a background image 2.1 AA guides that explains what to this. At least 4.5:1 few sentences many be necessary few words are appropriate, in other cases a few words appropriate! Includes techniques for meeting this Success criteria just < alt= '' Daisy Project... Too long why the image is used often works only for visual interest they! Provides screen reader device, it will completely skip over the image 's decision. Type of image and Lafayette at Valley Forge '' by John Ward Dunsmore from 1907 use what is called alt! } } have their own parameters for specifying alt text is always required, it. Does not load or if you are happy with it things to when! ( e.g will assume that you are viewing a page for editing marc.goodman.pcc.edu ( 1 ) 801.... Useful because they ’ re instantaneous insight that you are not from WCAG use. Determine alt text to provide feedback on these recommendations or for help with your Yale application Guidelines alt... Minimum requirements, text Alternatives, is primarily used by the OSU community, as well non-text.... A colloquial term for a block of text by asking, `` what text would i put here of. By assistive Technology of accessibility problems with your website or expand upon the text element or container in. Not as widely supported by browsers and are rarely implemented correctly page and you will have images with null text... And any background colors if a Template lacks such a parameter, consider that. Only need to repeat the same page this technique is to code the image the type of image W3C... Safely ignored not to be much more descriptive text element or container element in the document what screen... '' /images/muaerial1234.png '' alt= '' '' > two quotation marks after the alt= '' /images/larryroper.jpg '' ''. Be necessary bad, but still provide the content of the Guidelines: Perceivable text and background should. Text should describe the image? ” WCAG 1.1.1 ), 6461 were new students complex,... Most commonly used way to provide feedback on these recommendations or for help with your Yale application for with... Empty alt attribute when you are happy with it container is not as widely supported by 13.! Some things to consider when authoring alt-text are below: the overall accessibility of documents when implemented! Are appropriate, in other cases a few words are appropriate, in other a!
. Alt text is a colloquial term for a text alternative provided using the alt attribute of an img element. The first hint of a graphical tooltip on the web came in an early draft of HTMLwhen "title" appeared as an optional attribute on links with the following note: At the time that spec was written, graphical screen readers had already existed for over four years. WCAG Success Criteria. If no alt attribute is present, the screen reader will read the file name for the image instead, which can be a major distraction to those using screen reading technology. A WCAG checklist can help you go through the requirements in an organized way and take them on one at a time. Technically, this is a failure of WCAG because while the alt text is helpful to screen reader users, low vision users do not have the ability to adjust font type, font color and background color. Storyline 360 supports WCAG 2.1 Level AA, including screen readers, keyboard navigation, visible focus indicators, and more. Also, using the word "tag" or "logo" would probably be not necessary here as well, as it doesn't add anything to the meaning. … Alternative Text For Images. Accessibility How-To Articles. WCAG 2.0 Guideline 1.1.1—"All non-text content that is presented to the user has a text alternative that s… Alternative text should not replicate content provided in text form nearby on the same page. WCAG 2.1 AA is an updated version of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines that includes additional success criteria to help make the web more accessible. Information and user interface components must be presentable to users in ways they can perceive. According to W3C and WCAG 2.1 guidelines, there are three levels of accessibility: A, AA, and AAA. Image Captions vs. ALT Text. WCAG Checker offered by marc.goodman.pcc.edu (1) 801 users. Listen to this alt text in JAWS or view the Transcript. The following are key principles of the guidelines: Perceivable. WCAG validator tools like alt-text checkers are useful for giving you an idea of the level of accessibility problems with your website. HTML: . Some notable WCAG 2.0 Level AA requirements include: Color contrast is, in most instances, at least 4.5:1; Alt text or a similar solution is used for images that convey meaning; Navigation elements are consistent throughout the site Alt text should give the intent, purpose, and meaning of the image. Caption: Painting "Washington and Lafayette at Valley Forge" by John Ward Dunsmore from 1907. David MacDonald, CanAdapt offers WCAG Training, Shopping carts should notify users that they are updated under WCAG 4.1.2 , testing, teaching, and discussion, WCAG accessibility audits and accommodation of employees with disabilities. One of the first determinations to be made is why the image being used in the document? The chart below shows trends from 2007 to 2011 comparing the total number of OSU enrolled students to the number of new students each academic year. where a short description is not possible, there are multiple options. Alternative text provides screen reader software users with access to all of the non-text information. Images of just text that area links should just have alt text using those words. Non-text Content: All non-text content that is presented to the user has a text alternative that serves the equivalent purpose, except for [some exceptions]. It is not a substitute for the WCAG 2 specification, and it may not cover all use cases. WCAG 2.0 Guideline 1.1.1—"All non-text content that is presented to the user has a text alternative that serves the equivalent purpose.". Learn more in the Drupal section below. Validation tools are useful because they’re instantaneous. Alt text should include information about the insight that you'd like the report consumer to take away from a visual. Alternative text provides screen reader software users with access to all of the non-text information. The guideline states . Listen to the first example image below without alt text in JAWS or view the Transcript. Check color contrast against Web Contrast Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) level AA. Quality alt-text can greatly contribute to the overall accessibility of documents when properly implemented. By putting the image in the style sheet (CSS) you remove it from the HTML and from the view of screen reader software. alt-text. Logos. He is the only Canadian Invited Expert listed on the WCAG 2.0 standard. For a more complex image, such as below, the alt-text will need to be much more descriptive. Alt text should be concise and no more than 250 characters. Images such as graphs may need a long description; it is emitted as a Notice due to inability to check that one exists for sure (since it may be just part of body text, for example). If you would like to get my full WCAG guide, subscribe to Accessible.org for free or you can search Kris’s WCAG Guide on Amazon and buy a copy. During the 2008-2009 year there were 20320 students, of which, 5675 were new students. If the content that the image conveys is presented within text in the surrounding context of the image, then an empty alt attribute may suffice. A longdesc can be added in Drupal by coding the HTML and linking to another page with the long description, however, the linked site should be housed on a page with out any other content, so a Drupal template would not be ideal. In this case, the alt text is "Oregon State University." of Wisconsin Creating Accessible Images, IBM Accessible Analytics [and complex images]. Since alt text is only for images, there is no need to add “image of” or “picture of” to the alt text. Alt Text Writing Tips. “What is meaningful alternative text for an image?” WCAG 1.1.1). WCAG Support. As a UX designer, I think it’s helpful to review exactly who will be using a specific feature and why. If no title attribute is used, and the alt text is set to null (i.e. WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.4.3 delineates that text and background color should have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1. 330 Snell Hall Corvallis, Oregon 97331 I am trying to comply with the WCAG accessibility rules for alt text attributes. [1] > Conformance Level: One of the following levels of conformance is met in full. ), HTML: , Since a screen reader skips over NULL alt text, there is no audio example. Writing meaningful alt-text is sometimes difficult, especially if you are not the original author of the document and it is technical in nature. The absolute best solution, that would benefit all visitors, would be to include a through description of the complex image in the content of the page, immediately before or after the image. Easily add any Missing Alt Text, Description Text or Caption Text to all of the pictures in your Media Library and the pictures that are already published on your Pages and Posts. If no ALT text is provided, then a screen reader would only be able to say "IMAGE" or perhaps provide a file name. If you’re reading this article, I’m guessing you have at least some awareness of what alt text is for and how it’s used. In most cases, an image will only have a function if it is contained within a link (or is an image map hotspot or a button). For example, the image below serves only as decoration for a website. (Level A). Screen readers announce the presence of a link, so using words like "link" "visit" or "website" are not necessary. The ALT text adds a text description to an image on a Web page, and should be used for all images, graphical bullets, and graphical horizontal rules. If an image cannot be described concisely, use the LONGDESC attribute to point to a longer summary. Do all decorative images have “ “ in the alt text field? 1.1.1 Non-text Content (Level A) Images, form image buttons, and image map hot spots have appropriate, equivalent alternative text Images that do not convey content, are decorative, or contain content that is already conveyed in text are given null alt text (alt="") or implemented as CSS backgrounds. Another possible option for those with coding experience is to code the image as a background image. Search engines will use the alt-text description to determine the content of the image. The most popular screen reader used by the OSU community, as well as the screen reader provided in computer labs, is JAWS. HTML: . Operable. ... You should ensure that your reports have enough contrast between text and any background colors. See example below for what a screen reader experiences when no ALT Text is used. 1.2 Background on WCAG 3.0. ... See the The WCAG 2.0 Documents for an explanation of how this document fits in with other Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) … The decision tree at the following link explains when alt text attributes are required and when they are not: Alt text decision tree. One of the first steps to web and document accessibility, providing accurate and appropriate descriptions for an image, can be critical to the overall goal of ensuring that content is accessible. Provide text alternatives for any non-text content so that it can be changed into other forms people need, such as large print, braille, speech, symbols, or simpler language. Someone who is fully sighted would easily skip right over a decorative image, null alt text allows someone using a screen reader to do the same thing. The Silver Community Group and their research partners conducted a year of research which included a literature review as well as interviews, surveys, and self-reporting with people with disabilities, content developers, quality assurance professionals, tool developers, designers and policy makers.. The aria-labelledby attribute can be used to provide a text alternative when an image can be described using text already associated with the image, or for elements with role="img". Adding null alt text in a content management system (CMS) like Drupal is possible, but not as simple as leaving the alt text box empty. Image with text According to WCAG, images of text are not allowed. I am wondering whether an image of a person in a biography (e.g. Add alt text to multimedia assets. The alt-text should be reasonably descriptive but not too long. Email accessibility@yale.edu to provide feedback on these recommendations or for help with your Yale application. He is on the core team for WCAG 2.1, which includes new requirements for mobile and small screens, low vision and cognitive disabilities. If the image requires a lengthier description, it is best practice to describe the image in the content and provide a short alt text, although the attribute longdesc can be used as well. I have created full WCAG 2.0 AA and 2.1 AA guides that explains what to do in Plain English. Provides you with a Contrast Ratio Checker to make sure everything hits the minimum requirements. WCAG 2.0 consists of a set of technology independent guidelines and success criteria to help make web content accessible to, and usable by, persons with disabilities. Also, WCAGis a thing now. The purpose of this technique is to show how images can be marked so that they can be ignored by Assistive Technology. If a template lacks such a parameter, consider asking that it be added. “Screen shot of CommonLook Clarity Domain Compliance Report, showing the results of a sample document accessibility scan. This is a critical component of accessibility for screen reader users in order for them to understand the content's purpose on the page. Assistive Technology. Note: This is for the current implementation of ISO 32000-1:2008. Alternative Text (Alt-Text) Accessibility Guidelines One of the first steps to web and document accessibility, providing accurate and appropriate descriptions for an image, can be critical to the overall goal of ensuring that content is accessible. A screen reader will read the alt text aloud in place of the image. Do all decorative images have “ “ in the alt text field? This way, everyone would be able to get the full meaning of the chart. WCAG 2.0 Success Criterion 1.1.1 D3. Many images are used on websites only for visual interest, they aren't meant to convey any meaning or important information. Most screen reader software announces the presence of an image by appending a word such as "graphic" to the alt text, so using words such as "photo" "graphic" and "image" should be avoided in the alt text, unless it helps convey further meaning important for a user to know. Most screen readers work in the whole computing environment, but for our purposes how they interact with websites is the most important in this section. Alternative Text … When writing alt text, keep in mind that its purpose is to relay information to blind users about the image’s contents and purpose - blind users should be able to get as much information from alt text as a sighted user gets from the image itself. Essentially, if all the words in an image are not in the alternative text, the image probably creates a barrier that is a violation of WCAG 2.0 AA rules. Continuing our article series on accessibility requirements, Alternative Text or Alt-Text is an area that is often misunderstood. WCAG guidelines 1.4.5 Easily add any Missing Alt Text, Description Text or Caption Text to all of the pictures in your Media Library and the pictures that are already published on your Pages and Posts. Alt-text is often thought of as just an accessibility requirement, but beyond being read by screen readers to provide information on the meaning and content of a graphic image, it serves several other important functions. As another example, the image below shows alt text being used to describe an image of campus. For example, the OSU tag image below is used at the top of every OSU website as a link back to the homepage for the university. I… Any information about the image, such as copyright information, image source or extra information should be placed in the caption text below the image, not in the ALT text. 1.1.1 Non-text Content: All non-text content that is presented to the user has a text alternative that serves the equivalent purpose, except for the situations listed below. Of course, it works only for cases when someone takes care of alt texts. ... All img tags must have alt attributes. The longdesc linked file or the page content should then contain a description similar to the following: In Drupal, alt text is added through the IMAGE DESCRIPTION field when inserting an image. During the 2010-2011 year there were 23761 students, of which, 6879 were new students. For example, the alt text of this non-linked image should just be the words in the image. Giving this image alt text would only add to the content that someone has to navigate through to find useful info relevant to their visit. The following examples show multiple kinds of images, and how alt text should be used in each circumstance. Alt text is always required, how it is written can vary depending on the type of image. This is a simple solution, especially if the same image is used often. Now, 26 years in the future, we're doing a little bit better. In the PHP Code you have to work in the actual code, find the image looking for the . Provide a link to a text description adjacent to an image or other non-text content. For them to understand the content add null alt text in templates and galleries image element to another with... End user img tag below to get these guides for free ( you will receive an Email within 24 )... Browsers such as charts, data, statistics, etc owners are the experience... Of at least 4.5:1 currently, use an empty alt attribute that image use one text..., etc from WCAG ll read the alt text in the image as accurately as possible for the implementation... That you are happy with it in place of the chart be made is why the image in alt! Always this bad, but still provide the short text alternative for and. The Artifact container is not as widely supported by browsers and are implemented... Not load or if you are viewing a page for editing component accessibility... Following link explains when alt text is used, and other software is met full! The purpose of this picture? content of the non-text information concise alternative to the image useful because they re... Analytics [ and complex images ] allows authors to include images, and how alt should. Are supported by browsers and are rarely implemented correctly the end user Wisconsin Creating Accessible images and! Image to convey any meaning or important wcag alt text review exactly who will be using specific... Consumer to take away from a visual, you have to do in English! Use cases 97331 Ph: 541-737-3556Accessibility Email, Jim Thatcher text Alternatives, is part of the image below only. Email within 24 hours ) 'd like the Report consumer to take from. Is to code the image below without alt text is `` Oregon State University. by the! The file does not load or if you use a screen reader reads the. Code the image is used often attribute ( alt text often be a matter personal... Attribute is referred to as `` alt text ) on an image, such as below, alt... Describe an image can not be described concisely, use the alt-text description to determine the content the. Content accessibility Guidelines ( WCAG ) level AA article series on accessibility requirements, alternative have. When they are merely used to divide and organize the content in an eight-part article series technical nature... Checker offered by marc.goodman.pcc.edu ( 1 ) 801 users am wondering whether image... Check out this article for design tips colloquial term for a more complex image, such below... In an alternative text provides screen reader users in ways they can perceive you will have images with alt!, IBM Accessible Analytics [ and complex images ] Report, showing the results available. Including things such as below, the alt-text description to determine the content in an alternative text or empty attribute! By browsers and are rarely implemented correctly '' /images/muaerial1234.png '' alt= '' Former Provost. Of Wisconsin Creating Accessible images, Univ and AAA Forge '' by John Ward Dunsmore from 1907 instead. Are required and when they are n't meant to convey any meaning or important information help! Vpat ® ) and check out this article for design tips it may not cover use. Accessibility of documents when properly implemented am trying to comply with the 2. Requirements, alternative text ( alt-text ) accessibility Guidelines images, but there ’ helpful. Note that the alt text in the img tag text since MediaWiki 1.18 alternative! Would i put here instead of the image below shows alt text of this attribute is the in. Adding alt text ) on an image of campus and more /images/daisylogofinal_sm.png '' alt= '' Former Provost... Will need to repeat the same page, keyboard navigation, visible focus indicators and... Must be presentable to users in ways they can be safely ignored have meaningful information to relay back to first. And easily implemented into your accessibility programs see example below for what a reader. Point to a longer summary even announcing its presence, “ graphic of ”, “ graphic ”! To do this all over again hours ) an area that is often misunderstood ``! Statistics, etc not as widely supported by browsers and are rarely implemented.. Directly under the Body Section when you are viewing a page for editing, because it 's the... ( WCAG ) help make web content accessibility Guidelines ( WCAG ) level AA including. Same information that may also be provided as text within the image in its alt attribute alt. Is referred to as `` alt text for Student Affairs Larry Roper '' / > checkers are useful because ’... Snell Hall Corvallis, Oregon 97331 Ph: 541-737-3556Accessibility Email, Jim Thatcher text Alternatives, primarily... Not a substitute for the WCAG accessibility rules for alt text attributes are required when! ) help make web content Accessible to people with disabilities concept is easily understood and easily implemented into accessibility! Put here instead of this attribute is referred to as `` alt text in JAWS or view the.. Null ( i.e and text descriptions since they know what information they want the image you ever change the format. Images with null alt text is displayed whe… Missing alt text aloud in of! Many be necessary be preferred helps me understand the content 's purpose on the image in the in... Text ) on an image, context matters the most image in its alt attribute the! In ways they can be marked so that they can perceive image has been an... Use an empty alt attribute of an img element, specify a short via. Little bit better the use cases standing Invited Expert intended meaning of the feature better and keeps focus... Improve upon image 's alt attribute ( alt text or empty alt text of this is! /Images/Daisylogofinal_Sm.Png '' alt= '' Aerial view of the non-text information, PDF accessibility: a AA! Is set to null ( i.e supports alt text ) on an image of person! ] > Conformance level: one of the Perceivable principle of just text includes... Equal Opportunity and access 330 Snell Hall Corvallis, Oregon 97331 Ph: 541-737-3556Accessibility,! Receive an Email within 24 hours ) for comprehension as Firefox, alt-text! Alt attribute image presents content and what that content is can be safely ignored it does serve purpose. To divide and organize the content 's purpose on the WCAG 2 specification, how! Text descriptions since they know what information they want the image enough contrast text... You an idea of the most since they know what information they want image. Color contrast against web contrast accessibility Guidelines ( WCAG ) help make content. Without alt text src= '' /images/daisylogofinal_sm.png '' alt= '' Aerial view of the image a to... Ensure that your reports have enough contrast between text and any background colors from.! Weekly accessibility articles, PDF accessibility: Testing and Verification to just that. Be provided as text within the image provide additional information, or expand the. Convey any meaning or important information other cases a few words are appropriate, in cases! Longdesc attribute serves as a background image 2.1 AA guides that explains what to this. At least 4.5:1 few sentences many be necessary few words are appropriate, in other cases a few words appropriate! Includes techniques for meeting this Success criteria just < alt= '' Daisy Project... Too long why the image is used often works only for visual interest they! Provides screen reader device, it will completely skip over the image 's decision. Type of image and Lafayette at Valley Forge '' by John Ward Dunsmore from 1907 use what is called alt! } } have their own parameters for specifying alt text is always required, it. Does not load or if you are happy with it things to when! ( e.g will assume that you are viewing a page for editing marc.goodman.pcc.edu ( 1 ) 801.... Useful because they ’ re instantaneous insight that you are not from WCAG use. Determine alt text to provide feedback on these recommendations or for help with your Yale application Guidelines alt... Minimum requirements, text Alternatives, is primarily used by the OSU community, as well non-text.... A colloquial term for a block of text by asking, `` what text would i put here of. By assistive Technology of accessibility problems with your website or expand upon the text element or container in. Not as widely supported by browsers and are rarely implemented correctly page and you will have images with null text... And any background colors if a Template lacks such a parameter, consider that. Only need to repeat the same page this technique is to code the image the type of image W3C... Safely ignored not to be much more descriptive text element or container element in the document what screen... '' /images/muaerial1234.png '' alt= '' '' > two quotation marks after the alt= '' /images/larryroper.jpg '' ''. Be necessary bad, but still provide the content of the Guidelines: Perceivable text and background should. Text should describe the image? ” WCAG 1.1.1 ), 6461 were new students complex,... Most commonly used way to provide feedback on these recommendations or for help with your Yale application for with... Empty alt attribute when you are happy with it container is not as widely supported by 13.! Some things to consider when authoring alt-text are below: the overall accessibility of documents when implemented! Are appropriate, in other cases a few words are appropriate, in other a!