Alternative text for images

Definition

Alternative text for images, often abbreviated as 'alt text', is a written description that is added to an image within digital content. This description serves as a substitute for the visual content, enabling users with visual impairments to understand what the image conveys through screen readers or other assistive technologies. Additionally, alt text enhances the accessibility of web content, ensuring that images can be interpreted by search engines and improving overall user experience.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Alt text should be concise yet descriptive enough to convey the essential information of the image, typically around 125 characters or less.
2. Properly implemented alt text can improve a website's SEO, as search engines rely on it to index images and understand the content context.
3. Images that are purely decorative should have empty alt attributes (alt='') so screen readers can skip them, preventing unnecessary distraction.
4. Alt text is crucial in digital art curation, where understanding visual content without seeing it is essential for inclusivity.
5. Including alt text is not only a best practice but often a legal requirement under various accessibility laws and standards.

Review Questions

• How does alternative text contribute to the accessibility of digital content?
  • Alternative text enhances accessibility by providing a textual description of images, allowing visually impaired users to understand visual information through screen readers. This ensures that everyone, regardless of ability, can access and comprehend content on the web. By implementing effective alt text, creators make their work more inclusive, fostering an environment where all users have equal access to information.
• Evaluate the importance of using appropriate alternative text for different types of images in online content.
  • Using appropriate alternative text for various types of images is vital because it ensures that each image's purpose and context are accurately conveyed. For informative images, such as infographics or charts, detailed descriptions are necessary to communicate data effectively. In contrast, decorative images require minimal or no description to avoid cluttering the experience for screen reader users. Understanding these distinctions helps maintain user engagement while enhancing accessibility.
• Analyze the implications of neglecting alternative text for images in terms of both accessibility compliance and user experience.
  • Neglecting alternative text has serious implications for accessibility compliance and user experience. Legally, failing to provide alt text can lead to violations of accessibility standards like WCAG or even laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). From a user experience perspective, users with visual impairments may find themselves excluded from critical information, leading to frustration and a sense of marginalization. Thus, including effective alt text not only fulfills legal obligations but also promotes an inclusive digital environment.

Related terms

Screen Reader: A software application that converts digital text into synthesized speech or Braille output, enabling visually impaired users to access content on computers and mobile devices.

Accessibility: The design principle that aims to make information and resources usable by people with various disabilities, ensuring equal access and opportunity.

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG): A set of international guidelines developed to ensure that web content is accessible to all users, including those with disabilities.