Re: Education & Outreach page Web Accessibility Preliminary Evaluation: Alt text tips

Hi EOWG


Shawn made some changes to the Alt text tips in the Wiki.

Here, I have re-ordered and done some small edit changes to the tips -
mostly so the do's come first and the don't (and Null) is second. I have
numbered them to make it easier to discuss.


Section on Alt text

Tips:What is appropriate alt text?
1.  Appropriate alt text depends on the context and the function of the
image which includes pictures, diagrams, logos and icons. For example, for
an image of a dog on a kennel club website, the alt text might include the
breed of the dog; however, the same image on a dog park website may be
there just to make the page more attractive, the image might not need any
alt text and should be marked with a null alt (alt=”")
2. The alt text needs to convey the same meaning as the image. That is, if
someone cannot see the image, they get the important information from the
image in the alt text.
3.       If the image is very important to the content or contains complex
information — such as charts or graphs — the image can have a short alt
text, and then the detailed description of the information can be provided
in the main text.
4.       If there are small amounts of text in the image — for example, it
contains an adverting slogan or company logo — the text from the image
should be included in the alt text.
5.       If the image is not important to understanding the content — for
example, it is just decoration or ‘eye catching’— it should have null alt
(alt="").
6.       If the image is sufficiently described in the text — for example,
a simple diagram illustrating what's written in the web page text — it can
be marked with the null alt.
7.       The alt text does not need to include the words "button", "link",
or "image of" because the screen reader software will indicate this
automatically
8.       Appropriate alt text is not an exact science. Some people prefer
more description of more images; and others prefer less description. If in
doubt, the alt text should be kept short and the meaning should be
supported through the text content.


Link to the Wiki at The Education & Outreach page Web Accessibility
Preliminary Evaluation

> http://www.w3.org/WAI/EO/wiki/Web_Accessibility_Preliminary_Evaluation
> for the current revision.
> Best wishes
>
Suzette