{"id":2223,"date":"2024-11-18T16:11:26","date_gmt":"2024-11-18T21:11:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/a11yondemand\/?post_type=chapter&p=2223"},"modified":"2025-05-22T14:53:38","modified_gmt":"2025-05-22T18:53:38","slug":"alternative-text-2","status":"web-only","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/a11yondemand\/chapter\/alternative-text-2\/","title":{"raw":"Alternative Text","rendered":"Alternative Text"},"content":{"raw":"\"\"Visual information needs an equivalent text description. Descriptions can be provided by adjacent text, a figure caption, or the alt text field. Adjacent text and figure captions are accessible to assistive technology and provide context, purpose and meaning of visual content to all users. Alt text relays information via code that is read by screen reader software to aid users to understand visual information. Decorative images are graphics that are included solely for aesthetic purposes or are accompanied by equivalent text description.\r\n

Who benefits from accessible images<\/h2>\r\nVisual information must have a text equivalent to ensure blind and low vision learners have equitable access to learning material. Images, charts, diagrams, SmartArt, and any visual information must have a text equivalent.\r\n\r\nThe following recording demonstrates screen reader software reading three examples of alt text: one with no description, one with poorly written alt text, and one example of effectively written alt text.\r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/mediaspace.langara.ca\/media\/t\/0_e4ekigwh\r\n

How to ensure accessible images<\/h2>\r\nTo ensure visual information is accessible to all readers:\r\n
    \r\n \t
  1. Add a descriptive figure caption<\/a> or,<\/li>\r\n \t
  2. Add an adjacent text description and mark image as decorative or,\r\n\"\"<\/li>\r\n \t
  3. Add alt text to the image.<\/a>\r\n
      \r\n \t
    1. Select the visual and move to the\u00a0Picture Format<\/strong> tab and choose\u00a0Alt Text.\r\n\"\"<\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t
    2. Right-click on a visual and select\u00a0View Alt Text...\r\n\"\"\r\n<\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nLearn more about text descriptions of visuals<\/a>.\r\n
      \r\n

      Automatically generated descriptions<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n

      \r\n\r\n\"\"By default, Word will generate alt text for images when they are added to a document. Word will mark these as Missing alt text<\/strong> in the Accessibility Assistant panel. When viewing the alt text for a graphic, you can select Approve<\/strong>, however Word's auto-generated descriptions are generally not sufficiently accurate, informative, or descriptive and must be reviewed and (almost always) improved.\r\n\r\nSome AI tools have shown promise in accurately describing images.\u00a0Using AI to describe images<\/a>\u00a0may be a useful starting point for writing alt text, descriptive figure captions, or text alternatives of visual information.\r\n
      <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\nBy default, images are added inline<\/a> as this presents the image in order to assistive technology. Changing the text wrapping will be flagged by the Accessibility Assistant. Decorative images can be used with various types of text-wrapping.\r\n

      Double Check<\/h2>\r\n\"\"Word's Accessibility Assistant<\/a> notes 2 errors under Media and Illustrations: Missing alt text<\/strong> and Image or object not inline. <\/strong>Missing alt text <\/strong>notes images that do not have alt text or are not marked as decorative. Image or object not inline<\/strong> flags images and objects that are set with any text wrapping other than inline with text.\r\n\r\nTo resolve these errors, add alt text as described above or provide an equivalent description and mark as decorative. Learn more about fixing image accessibility errors.<\/a> Ensure images are inline with text or marked as decorative (when decorative or accompanied by other alternate description).\r\n
      \r\n

      Next<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n

      \r\n\r\nMove to the next page to understand Structure<\/strong> or select another accessibility practice to learn about<\/a>.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>","rendered":"

      \"\"Visual information needs an equivalent text description. Descriptions can be provided by adjacent text, a figure caption, or the alt text field. Adjacent text and figure captions are accessible to assistive technology and provide context, purpose and meaning of visual content to all users. Alt text relays information via code that is read by screen reader software to aid users to understand visual information. Decorative images are graphics that are included solely for aesthetic purposes or are accompanied by equivalent text description.<\/p>\n

      Who benefits from accessible images<\/h2>\n

      Visual information must have a text equivalent to ensure blind and low vision learners have equitable access to learning material. Images, charts, diagrams, SmartArt, and any visual information must have a text equivalent.<\/p>\n

      The following recording demonstrates screen reader software reading three examples of alt text: one with no description, one with poorly written alt text, and one example of effectively written alt text.<\/p>\n