Alternative Text for Images

Alternative text is used by screen readers to provide information presented in images and other non-text content. To decide whether or not to add an image description, analyze the image to see if it has content or a function.

Image Content

An image has content if it adds meaning to text within the page. When you add an image in the OU Editor, either check the decorative check box or add a short description of that image. Deciding which option to choose is a judgment call. Here are some guides that can help.

• Was the image added primarily as a decorative element but conveys no significant content? If so, use the decorative check box.
  Decorative image example
  

  Purpose of image is to enhance the appearance of the page. Image uses a decorative check box.

  

• Does the image contain content that is also in text that is close to the image? If so, use the decorative check box.
  Image and text example
  

  Content is found in both image and text. Image uses a decorative check box.

  The University of Utah Marching Band performs at all home games, select away games and bowl games throughout the football season, for over 500,000 people annually.

• Does the image contain content and have a caption that provides the same information? If so, use the decorative check box.
  Image with caption example
  

  Image caption matches image content. Image uses a decorative check box.

  

  Saxophone players in the University of Utah Marching Band

• Is the content of the image not included in the text or is separated by a significant amount of other web content? If so, add a short description. (If an image is a photo, do not include “image of” in the description.)
  Image content not in text example
  

  Image content is not included in text. Image description is "Plato."

  

  The Republic has proven to be one of the world’s most influential works of philosophy and political theory, both intellectually and historically. In it, Socrates along with various Athenians and foreigners discuss the meaning of justice and examine whether or not the just man is happier than the unjust man.

• Does the image contain text? If so, add a description using the same words that are in the image.
  (If the image is a graphic illustration or button, do not include “graphic of” in the description.)
  Image containing text example
  

  Image contains text. Image description is "Scholarship Application Due April 25, 2016"

  

Functional Image

Is the image inside a link? If so it’s a functional image. Add a description that’s the same as the page the link points to.
Image within link example