{"id":80,"date":"2024-07-12T17:07:28","date_gmt":"2024-07-12T21:07:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/a11yondemand\/?post_type=chapter&p=80"},"modified":"2025-05-20T12:55:23","modified_gmt":"2025-05-20T16:55:23","slug":"alternative-text","status":"web-only","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/a11yondemand\/chapter\/alternative-text\/","title":{"raw":"Missing Alt Text","rendered":"Missing Alt Text"},"content":{"raw":"\"\"Missing alt text<\/strong> notes images that do not have alt text or are not marked as decorative. 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 missing alt text affects<\/h2>\r\nVisual information must have a text equivalent to ensure blind and low vision learners have equitable access to learning material. Shapes, images, charts, 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

<\/a>How to fix it<\/h2>\r\n\"\"In the Check Accessibility Pane, PowerPoint will flag Missing alt text<\/strong> as an error.\r\n
<\/div>\r\n\"\"Select the Missing alt text <\/strong>error and type a description and click\u00a0Save.<\/strong>\r\n
<\/div>\r\nThe Alt Text Pane can also be opened by selecting the image and:\r\n
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1<\/span>Move to the Picture Format<\/strong> tab<\/div>\r\n
2<\/span>Select the Alt Text<\/strong> button<\/div>\r\n
3<\/span>Or right-click on the graphic and select View Alt Text...<\/strong><\/div>\r\n\"\"\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\"\"In the Alt Text Pane, users can replace an existing description, approve automatically generated descriptions, or mark a graphic as decorative.\r\n\r\nAll informative images need alt text. Alt text can be provided in the alt text field (explained above), a figure caption, or adjacent equivalent text. Consult the Alternative Text Quick Start Guide<\/a> for further guidance. However, any graphic included solely for aesthetic or decorative purposes or is accompanied by equivalent text description should be marked as decorative.\r\n\r\n \r\n
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Intelligent Services: Review auto-generated description<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n

\r\n\r\n\"\"By default, PowerPoint will generate alt text for images when they are added to a slide. The PowerPoint Check Accessibility tool will flag those images with \"Review auto-generated description.\" Auto-generated descriptions must be reviewed and generally are not sufficient. When viewing the alt text for a graphic, you can check Approve<\/strong> alt text<\/strong>, however, PowerPoint's auto-generated descriptions are rarely accurate and never include sufficient detail to be a sufficient text equivalent.\r\n\r\nAnything (file name, random characters, or auto-generated descriptions) in the alt text field passes the Check Accessibility tool. Ensure you review all alt text for clarity and accuracy.\r\n
<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n

How to prevent it next time<\/h2>\r\nEnsure your workflow includes adding alt text each time you add an image. Learn how to write alt text.<\/a>\r\n\r\nLearn how to best add descriptions, figure captions, or alt text in PowerPoint.<\/a>\r\n\r\nRead\u00a0Alternative Text Quick Start Guide<\/a> and related chapters in the Accessibility Handbook for Teaching and Learning.\r\n\r\nUsing AI to describe images<\/a> may be a useful starting point for writing alt text, descriptive figure captions, or text alternatives of visual information. Always review machine-generated content for usefulness and accuracy.\r\n
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Next<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n

\r\n\r\nMove to the next page to address H<\/strong>ard-to-read Text Contrast<\/strong> or select the next error you want to fix<\/a>.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>","rendered":"

\"\"Missing alt text<\/strong> notes images that do not have alt text or are not marked as decorative. 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 missing alt text affects<\/h2>\n

Visual information must have a text equivalent to ensure blind and low vision learners have equitable access to learning material. Shapes, images, charts, 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