RE: figcaption NOT an replacement for alt in HTML5

My thoughts..if I could rule the world...:-)

 

I would not use ALT to point to anything. I would continue to use ALT as
intended, under all circumstances.

 

Asking developers (and automated systems) to sometimes do this (when there
is a figcaption) but other times just have the ALT used as it was designed
to do - seems to continue to complicate the issue. 

 

My thought is to only use ALT for alternative text (not directions) and
require it.  Yes, even if there is a figcaption. The doublespeak is only in
effect in some circumstances and for some users.

 

I think the example that Steve Faulkner suggested on Jan 11th is what we
want to encourage:

 

But what we would want is examples more like 9.1 [4], which would be
something like:
 
<figure>
 
<img src="shadows.jpg" alt=" Shadow like figures and a graffiti tag drawn on
the walls of a partially demolished building, illuminated by the light from
a street lamp..">
 
<figcaption>The local graffiti artists have been busy!</figcaption>
 
</figure>

 

The HTML5 exception for 4.7.1.1.16 - When a text alternative is not
available at the time of publication could be handled by AAPIs, browsers and
test tools by identifying the image instance as falling under this
requirment/exception (when a figure with figcaption is present). Test tool
validators could flag and possibly prompt for ALT  - "This image is missing
alt text, it has been identified as a image whose text alternative was not
made available at the time of publication. Ensure there is a figcaption
element  associated with withtheimage and contains content related to the
image. If possible, insert relevant missing ALT text now".

 

The AAPI AccessibleName should continue to be primarily associated with ALT
text, but then could also, as a secondary backup, support;  figcaption,
aria-labelledby, aria-label.

 

* katie *

 

Katie Haritos-Shea 
Senior Accessibility SME (WCAG/Section 508/ADA)

 

Cell: 703-371-5545 |  <mailto:ryladog@gmail.com> ryladog@gmail.com | Oakton,
VA |  <http://www.linkedin.com/in/katieharitosshea/> LinkedIn Profile |
Office: 703-371-5545

 

From: Gregg Vanderheiden [mailto:gv@trace.wisc.edu] 
Sent: Thursday, January 16, 2014 10:32 PM
To: David MacDonald
Cc: GLWAI Guidelines WG org; HTML Accessibility Task Force; Steve Faulkner;
<kirsten@can-adapt.com>
Subject: Re: figcaption NOT an replacement for alt in HTML5

 

thanks much David

 

this is VERY helpful.

 

QUESTION:    When would ALT text not be available at time of publication --
but the figure caption would?   

I don't see any reason that one couldn't put  the basic information in the
ALT such as  "Figure described in caption below"  so that a blind screen
reader  a) knows that there is a figure and b) knows that the description is
in the caption - if the caption is sufficient.   

 

Of course I see a danger that all figures might suddenly have this text show
up in them....   But if captions are EVER accepted automatically as
replacing ALT text -- this would be the effect anyway.   ALT text would
disappear since any checker would pass each picture that had a caption -- no
matter how weak it was.  (e.g. "Chart showing the critical required elements
in your application"). 

 

I just don't see any reason to accept a caption instead of ALT.    If the
captions is so good - then the ALT text can point to it  ( ALT="Figure
described well in caption").    OR   ARIA can of course be used when it is
supported by AT. 

 

 

Other's thoughts?    Am I missing something? 

 

 

Gregg

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

Gregg Vanderheiden Ph.D.
Director Trace R&D Center
Professor Industrial & Systems Engineering
and Biomedical Engineering University of Wisconsin-Madison

Technical Director - Cloud4all Project - http://Cloud4all.info
Co-Director, Raising the Floor - International - http://Raisingthefloor.org
and the Global Public Inclusive Infrastructure Project -  http://GPII.net

 

On Jan 16, 2014, at 10:27 PM, David MacDonald <david100@sympatico.ca
<mailto:david100@sympatico.ca> > wrote:





Steve Faulkner and I had a good discussion about figure/figcaption elements
during the html5 call today. There are a few important things that may help
bring clarity to the discussion. The HTML 5 spec only has one specific use
case when the figcaption could replace alt text. And that is when the alt
text is not available at the time of publication. It includes two important
notes.

=======
Note: Such cases are to be kept to an absolute minimum. If there is *even
the slightest possibility* of the author having the ability to provide real
alternative text, then *it would not be acceptable to omit the alt
attribute* 

Note: Since some users cannot use images at all (e.g. because they are
blind) the alt attribute is only allowed to be omitted when no text
alternative is available and none can be made available, as in the above
examples. " http://tinyurl.com/ox8uhys 
=====

I must confess that I was among those who thought HTML5 said the
<figcaption> element was freely interchangeable with the ALT inside a
<figure> element, even though the limitation is spelled out in the document
in two places. 

HTML5 provides no basis for a WCAG Sufficient technique on this. I think
this will also help inform the greater discussion around F65. Because I
believe most of us thought that there already was an alternative to ALT text
allowed in HTML 5 which set a precedent. Any discussion we have about
allowing substitutes for ALT, (aria-labelledby, aria-label ...) will have to
stand on their own merits without a precedent in HTML 5.

Testing of figcaption with assistive technology is here
http://davidmacd.com/test/figure.html 

Cheers,
David MacDonald

CanAdapt Solutions Inc.
Tel:  613.235.4902
http://ca.linkedin.com/in/davidmacdonald100
www.Can-Adapt.com <http://www.Can-Adapt.com> 
   
  Adapting the web to all users
            Including those with disabilities