best alt text for images that are links?

If one has an image on a website, that for example is linked to a download
of Adobe's Acrobat® Reader and image is the official Adobe Acrobat® Logo
emblazoned with the words "Adobe - Get Acrobat Reader"
then what is the best alt text?  Should it describe the graphic and the link
that it goes to?  Or just the graphic?  

JAWS, when encoutering a linked graphic, will say:  link,  graphic, and then
read the
alt text.  Typically the alt text on a web site describes the image itself
and not 
the link.  

Most of the guidance I've read indicates that image alt text should describe
only the image.  
Does doing so leave the blind user clueless about navigation?  After all,
the sighted user 
can mouse over the image and see the url of the link and choose whether to
follow it or not
based on that additional info.  

Any guidance here?

Joy Gatewood
VRI/ERIM
www.vrionline.com
www.erim.org

-----Original Message-----
From: David Poehlman [mailto:poehlman1@home.com]
Sent: Wednesday, June 06, 2001 12:31 PM
To: wai-ig list
Subject: "bread crumbs" on web sites?


Hi, One technique that seems to be of interest to some is the use of
what are called "bread crumbs" on sites to assist users in tracking
where they have been and where they are going, more easily within the
site.

One site wants to implement this using the title tag but the info in the
title tag is not spoken while tabbing.  Are there any thoughts about:
1> "bread crumbs as a useful site navigation tool?"
2> how best to implement them for best access?

3> Any alternatives if more useful to achieve the same or a similar
purpose?

I do not have an url but there are labels such as sub section, level 1,
level 2, and so on with a nink name for each level.  It does not seem to
me that this is useful for persons with screen readers but might it help
others and if it can be useful for us, how can it be made
comprehensible?

Thanks!

Hands-on Technolog(eye)s
Touching The Internet
http://members.home.com/poehlman1/
mailto:poehlman1@home.com
voice: 301.949.7599

Received on Thursday, 7 June 2001 09:08:46 UTC