HTML and XHTML Techniques - Providing Text Alternatives for Purely Decorative Images

Submitter's Name: Laura Carlson
Submitter's Email: laura.lee.carlson@gmail.com

Technique ID: UNKNOWN
Short Name: Providing Text Alternatives for Purely Decorative Images
Technique Category: HTML and XHTML Techniques
Guideline Reference: text-equiv
Success Criterion Reference: UNKNOWN

Applicability:
Applies to HTML

UA Issues:
None known

Description:
The objective of this technique is explain and demonstrate how to markup to markup purely decorative images so they can be ignored by assistive technology with a null alt attribute (alt="") . 



If an image isn't providing the user any informative content or enhancing greater understanding of the content, then it is appropriate for the alt text to be empty. Purely decorative images are visual enhancements, decorations or embellishments that provide no function or information beyond aesthetics to users who can view the images. They have no meaning in themselves and do not provide page content. 



Examples:



* Spacers

* Bullets

* Box corners

Example 1 Head: Any decorative image in a document
Example 1 Description:
<img src="decorative.png" alt="">

Resource 1 Title: Web Design References: Accessibility


Resource 1 URI: http://www.d.umn.edu/itss/support/Training/Online/webdesign/accessibility.html#alt

Related Techniques:
H37
H67
C9

Test Procedure:
1. Check that alt attribute is present and is null

Expected Result:
#1 is true.

Additional Notes:
This technique is part of the HTMLWG's Action 54: First Draft

http://esw.w3.org/topic/HTML/Action54AltAttribute



If it is accepted by WCAG we hope to remove it from our document as stated in the second draft

http://esw.w3.org/topic/HTML/Action54AltAttributeSecondDraft#head-f0bf2ebf9f3e1fa190974101c6b70700ff176772



The Action 54 first draft provides much non-normative guidance in the application of the ALT attribute, which may not be appropriate for inclusion in a markup language specification, and which moreover could be seen as usurping the role of WCAG 2.0 and its techniques documents. A format specification is not a tutorial. It would be very helpful if the Techniques for WCAG 2.0. could incorporate this information or a variation of it. Then the HTML5 spec could link to it. As PF has said, "WCAG WG is chartered to set Accessibility guidelines and HTML WG is not".

http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/public-html/2008Feb/0082.html 



Thank you,



The HTMLWG Action 54 Team:

Steven Faulkner

Joshue O Connor

Laura Carlson



Peer reviewers:

Gez Lemon

Gregory Rosmaita

No example 2 header was submitted!
No example 2 description was submitted!
No resource 2 title submitted!
No resource 2 URI submitted!
No test file 1 was submitted!
No test file 1 pass/fail was submitted!
No test file 2 was submitted!
No test file 2 pass/fail was submitted!


------------------------------------------------

<technique id="UNKNOWN">
<short-name>Providing Text Alternatives for Purely Decorative Images</short-name>
<applies-to>
<guideline idref="text-equiv" />
<success-criterion idref="UNKNOWN" />
</applies-to>

<applicability>
Applies to HTML
</applicability>
<ua_issues>
None known
</ua_issues>
<description>
The objective of this technique is explain and demonstrate how to markup to markup purely decorative images so they can be ignored by assistive technology with a null alt attribute (alt=&quot;&quot;) . 



If an image isn&#039;t providing the user any informative content or enhancing greater understanding of the content, then it is appropriate for the alt text to be empty. Purely decorative images are visual enhancements, decorations or embellishments that provide no function or information beyond aesthetics to users who can view the images. They have no meaning in themselves and do not provide page content. 



Examples:



* Spacers

* Bullets

* Box corners
</description>

<examples>
<ex_head_1>
Any decorative image in a document
</ex_head_1>
<ex_desc_1>
<img src=&quot;decorative.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot;>
</ex_desc_1>
<ex_head_2>

</ex_head_2>
<ex_desc_2>

</ex_desc_2>
</examples>

<resources>
<resources_title1>
Web Design References: Accessibility


</resources_title1>
<resource_uri1>
http://www.d.umn.edu/itss/support/Training/Online/webdesign/accessibility.html#alt
</resource_uri1>
<resources_title2>

</resources_title2>
<resource_uri2>

</resource_uri2>
</resources>

<related_techniques>
<related_technique>
H37
</related_technique>
<related_technique>
H67
</related_technique>
<related_technique>
C9
</related_technique>
</related_techniques>

<tests>
<procedure>
1. Check that alt attribute is present and is null
</procedure>
<expected_result>
#1 is true.
</expected_result>
<test_file_1>

</test_file_1>
<pass_fail_1>

</pass_fail_1>
<test_file_2>

</test_file_2>
<pass_fail_2>

</pass_fail_2>
</tests>

</technique>

Additional Notes:

This technique is part of the HTMLWG&#039;s Action 54: First Draft

http://esw.w3.org/topic/HTML/Action54AltAttribute



If it is accepted by WCAG we hope to remove it from our document as stated in the second draft

http://esw.w3.org/topic/HTML/Action54AltAttributeSecondDraft#head-f0bf2ebf9f3e1fa190974101c6b70700ff176772



The Action 54 first draft provides much non-normative guidance in the application of the ALT attribute, which may not be appropriate for inclusion in a markup language specification, and which moreover could be seen as usurping the role of WCAG 2.0 and its techniques documents. A format specification is not a tutorial. It would be very helpful if the Techniques for WCAG 2.0. could incorporate this information or a variation of it. Then the HTML5 spec could link to it. As PF has said, &quot;WCAG WG is chartered to set Accessibility guidelines and HTML WG is not&quot;.

http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/public-html/2008Feb/0082.html 



Thank you,



The HTMLWG Action 54 Team:

Steven Faulkner

Joshue O Connor

Laura Carlson



Peer reviewers:

Gez Lemon

Gregory Rosmaita

Received on Wednesday, 4 June 2008 16:37:53 UTC