What is It?
Alt Text, short for alternative text, is a short text description of the image that is attached to an image file. It is a powerful tool in making key visual information available to students with visual impairments, as screen readers will read out the Alt Text when they encounter a graphic.
Impact
Our world is full of imagery and the learning environments we build often feature imagery as well. For example, in poli-sci, maps and graphs are integral, while Art history classes use photos of paintings and sculptures. In order for our classes to be accessible to all, we need to provide alternative ways for students to get the key information from the visuals in our courses.
Dos and Don'ts
- Keep it short, usually 1-2 sentences. Don’t overthink it.
- Consider key elements of why you chose this image, instead of describing every little detail. Why are you deploying this image?
- No need to say “image of” or “picture of.”
- But, do say if it’s a logo, illustration, painting, or cartoon because functions of the images matter.
- Don’t duplicate text that’s adjacent in the document or website. If the text already says “Figure 1. George Washington” under the picture then you don’t need to be redundant.
- Always end the alt text sentence with a period because this helps screen readers differentiate between sentences.
How-To
- CAT Resource: Adding Alt Text in Common Contexts (download)
- What is Alt Text and Who Does It Benefit?
- An Alt Decision Tree
Need More Help?
You can always book a one-on-one consultation, visit one of our ed tech labs, or email cat@temple.edu for additional assistance!