Hi Swarna, Certainly, something can be done for existing web pages too; developer needs to fix the problem. It's like adding a little piece of additional code. Here is an example: Bad example: <img src="http://something.com/picture.jpg";>
Good example: <img src="http://something.com/picture.jpg"; alt="Image description"> If image is used for decorative / spacer purpose, then right thing to do is providing null alt attribute. Thanks, -Srini On Mon, Aug 27, 2012 at 11:23 AM, Swarna Lakshmi <[email protected]>wrote: > Hi Srini, > > Thanks a lot for the explanation, apparently nothing can be done with > already developed web pages? > > Regards, > Swarna. > > On 8/27/12, Srinivasu Chakravarthula <[email protected]> wrote: > > Dear Swarna, > > It's neither a software nor any other program. It's a piece of code that > a > > web developer need to incorporate on web pages to convey the description > of > > the images. > > > > Best, > > -Srinivasu > > > > On Mon, Aug 27, 2012 at 11:02 AM, Swarna Lakshmi > > <[email protected]>wrote: > > > >> Hi Srini, > >> > >> As I joined the discussion late I just have an idea about Alt Text. > >> > >> I just wanted to know that is it a software to be installed or a > >> program to be written and compiled? > >> > >> I am sorry if I have asked you anything wrong. > >> > >> Regards, > >> Swarna. > >> > >> On 8/24/12, Suman Damera <[email protected]> wrote: > >> > Thanks Srini for such a detailed explanation about the significance of > >> > alt text in web pages! > >> > > >> > On 8/23/12, Srinivasu Chakravarthula <[email protected]> wrote: > >> >> Taken from a blog post > >> >> > >> >> Alt text (or text alternatives) are words that show up in place of an > >> >> image, when that image can’t be loaded. Images are sometimes turned > >> >> off > >> >> by > >> >> users with slow internet connections and blind users often use screen > >> >> reader software that reads the alt text aloud when it reaches the > >> >> image. > >> >> The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 demand alt text > >> >> for > >> >> images in most cases. > >> >> > >> >> The text is meant as a replacement for the image – not in addition to > >> it. > >> >> This means the text should describe the image and give the same > >> >> information > >> >> as the image would if seen. This isn’t always easy and people don’t > >> >> always > >> >> agree on what the ‘same’ information is. The best bet is to be honest > >> >> with > >> >> yourself – what does the picture convey? > >> >> > >> >> If the image is your company logo, your company name is a good bet. > If > >> >> the > >> >> image is of text, replicate the text exactly. For all other images, > >> >> describe the image helpfully and succinctly – we don’t need to know > >> >> it’s > >> >> a > >> >> picture of 17,387 trees if ‘forest’ would do. > >> >> > >> >> Whatever you do, don’t see alt text as a great resource for keyword > >> >> stuffing. Adding out-of-context keywords as alt text is terrible for > >> >> accessibility, does not meet WCAG 2.0 guidelines and has minimal to > no > >> >> search engine optimisation benefits. > >> >> What to do > >> >> > >> >> - Add alt text to all of your images > >> >> - Add a name to all of your buttons (such as ‘Search’ or ‘Submit’) > >> >> > >> >> How to do it > >> >> > >> >> If you’re using a good quality content management system, you will be > >> >> able > >> >> to add alt text with very little effort. For example, WordPress > allows > >> >> you > >> >> to edit the alt text of all images that you insert into posts and > >> >> pages. > >> >> If > >> >> you’ve got something a little more bespoke, here is some information > >> >> and > >> >> code that will help: > >> >> > >> >> An image on a website has two essential elements, its source and its > >> >> alternative. The source is the location of the image and the > >> >> alternative > >> >> is > >> >> what I’ve just been talking about. > >> >> ? > >> >> <http://www.wuhcag.com/alt-text/?goback=.gde_53511_member_150908160# > > > >> >> 1 > >> >> <img src="filename.jpg" alt="insert alt text" /> > >> >> > >> >> Here’s how a form might look like with names added. > >> >> ? > >> >> <http://www.wuhcag.com/alt-text/?goback=.gde_53511_member_150908160# > > > >> >> 1 > >> >> 2 > >> >> 3 > >> >> 4 > >> >> 5 > >> >> 6 > >> >> 7 > >> >> <form> > >> >> <label for="option1">Option One</label> > >> >> <input id="option1" type="radio" name="type" /> > >> >> < /br> > >> >> <label for="option2">Option Two,</label> > >> >> <input id="option2" type="radio" name="type" /> > >> >> </form> > >> >> Auditing alt text > >> >> > >> >> Alt text is relatively simple to audit and easy to fix, making this a > >> >> quick-win WCAG 2.0 guideline. One of the best ways is to add the WAVE > >> >> toolbar <http://wave.webaim.org/toolbar/> to Firefox and check a > page. > >> As > >> >> most sites have a standard template, you can catch your biggest > issues > >> >> with > >> >> one sweep. Banners, sidebar images and footers only need fixing once > >> >> to > >> >> improve every page on your site. After that, you’ll need to do > >> >> page-by-page > >> >> checking. > >> >> > >> >> If you want a more in-depth and hands-off solution, you can request > an > >> >> accessibility audit <http://www.wuhcag.com/contact/> of your whole > >> >> website > >> >> for alt text and other issues. > >> >> One more thing > >> >> [image: Forest] > >> >> > >> >> Photo credit <http://www.flickr.com/photos/view_camper/3179689934/> > >> >> > >> >> There are a few types of image that don’t need alt text: spacers, > >> >> icons, > >> >> purely decorative, tests and CAPTCHA images. > >> >> > >> >> Icons are usually used to complement text not replace it, so there’s > >> >> no > >> >> need to duplicate your efforts here. Users with screen readers would > >> just > >> >> hear the same thing twice anyway – which is the opposite of what > we’re > >> >> trying to do. > >> >> > >> >> Spacers are images used for padding, often for ease and not good > >> >> coding. > >> >> They are used to preserve formatting and present no information so > >> >> don’t > >> >> need alt text. > >> >> > >> >> Decorative images are ones used just because they look nice, they > have > >> no > >> >> information or use other than aesthetics. > >> >> > >> >> Tests and CAPTCHAs would be undermined by text alternatives so you > >> >> don’t > >> >> need them – although if you do use CAPTCHA, use one with an audio > >> >> alternative or add contact details to help blind users. > >> >> > >> >> In all theses cases, use what is called ‘null’ alt text by simply > >> leaving > >> >> the alt text out – but do put the quotes in: > >> >> ? > >> >> <http://www.wuhcag.com/alt-text/?goback=.gde_53511_member_150908160# > > > >> >> 1 > >> >> <img src="location-of-image.jpg" alt="" /> > >> >> > >> >> Screen readers will then skip the image rather than reading the > >> >> filename > >> >> or > >> >> trying to substitute an alt text. > >> >> > >> >> That’s all there is to alt text! Is there anything you’d like to add > >> >> or > >> >> any > >> >> questions you have? Leave a comment below and I’ll be sure to > respond. > >> >> Don’t forget, you can now buy the > >> >> book<http://www.wuhcag.com/shop/how-to-meet-the-wcag/>and learn > about > >> >> all the web accessibility guidelines at once! > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> -- > >> >> Regards, > >> >> > >> >> Srinivasu Chakravarthula - Twitter: > http://www.twitter.com/VasuTweets > >> >> Website: http://www.srinivasu.org | > http://www.learnaccessibility.org > >> >> > >> >> Let's create an inclusive web! > >> >> > >> >> Search for old postings at: > >> >> http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ > >> >> > >> >> To unsubscribe send a message to > >> >> [email protected] > >> >> with the subject unsubscribe. > >> >> > >> >> To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, > >> >> please > >> >> visit the list home page at > >> >> > >> > http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in > >> >> > >> >> > >> > > >> > > >> > -- > >> > suman > >> > > >> > > >> > Search for old postings at: > >> > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ > >> > > >> > To unsubscribe send a message to > >> > [email protected] > >> > with the subject unsubscribe. > >> > > >> > To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, > >> please > >> > visit the list home page at > >> > > >> > http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in > >> > > >> > > >> > >> > >> Search for old postings at: > >> http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ > >> > >> To unsubscribe send a message to > >> [email protected] > >> with the subject unsubscribe. > >> > >> To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, > >> please visit the list home page at > >> > http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in > >> > >> > > > > > > -- > > Regards, > > > > Srinivasu Chakravarthula - Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/VasuTweets > > Website: http://www.srinivasu.org | http://www.learnaccessibility.org > > > > Let's create an inclusive web! > > > > Search for old postings at: > > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ > > > > To unsubscribe send a message to > > [email protected] > > with the subject unsubscribe. > > > > To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, > please > > visit the list home page at > > > http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in > > > > > > > Search for old postings at: > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ > > To unsubscribe send a message to > [email protected] > with the subject unsubscribe. > > To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, > please visit the list home page at > http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in > > -- Regards, Srinivasu Chakravarthula - Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/VasuTweets Website: http://www.srinivasu.org | http://www.learnaccessibility.org Let's create an inclusive web! Search for old postings at: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ To unsubscribe send a message to [email protected] with the subject unsubscribe. To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please visit the list home page at http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in
![http://something.com/picture.jpg"](http://something.com/picture.jpg"){kind=link}