Alternative Text Descriptions

What are Alternative Text Descriptions?

Alternative text (alt text) descriptions for images and captions are some of the essential aspects of web accessibility. According to WCAG 2.0 Guideline 1.1.1., "all non-text content that is presented to the user has a text alternative that serves the equivalent purpose." To follow these guidelines, all images on your website should have equivalent alternative text, and any videos or audio should provide captions. Users with visual or cognitive impairments often use screen readers to read the alternative text description in place of an image. The alt text descriptions should accurately describe the people, action, or location within the picture.

Image-Based Alternative Text

It is essential to add an appropriate description for images on the university website to ensure accessibility. These descriptions allow a visually impaired user to hear the description of the image by hovering their mouse over the photograph. The descriptions should describe the people, actions, or location that is appearing in the image.

Avoid using the names of people unless they are in a news story
Avoid using words like “image,” “photo,” or “icon” in the caption. A screen reader already notifies the user that there is an image.
Do not make the caption overly detailed

Episerver and Alternative Text

Episerver is a content management system that is used to manage the content on the Shippensburg University website. To edit an image description, log into Episerver and follow these guidelines:

Select the image you want to change in the editor area.
Click the insert/edit image button on the editor toolbar.
On the general tab, you can change the title and image description.
Click update to save your changes when you’re finished.

Complex Images

There are images found on the internet that contain valuable information but are too complicated to be condensed into an alternative text description. Images, such as graphs, charts, diagrams, or maps require a two-part explanation that will first, tell the user what the images are, and second, highlight the critical information with the photo. These images can be difficult for people with cognitive and visual impairments to understand and require further explanation.

Long Descriptions

Images like graphs, charts, maps, and diagrams should be described using long descriptions. Long descriptions are detailed alternative text that provides more context to the image. These descriptions allow all people to be able to be able to understand what is taking place in a photo. The descriptions also need to be clear enough that the user can understand what is taking place within the image without having to see the image.

Captions

Captions are used to convert the audio from a video, television broadcast, film, or live event into text on a screen. Captions are the best way to create an alternative description for online users and are usually brief and above or below the image. The two types of captions are open and closed captions. Open captions are always visible and closed captions can be turned on or off.

Captions should be:

Equivalent - The content should be equal to the audio

Synchronized - the text should appear at the same time the audio does

Accessible - caption option should be readily available for those who want to use it