Elevating the accessibility of visual objects—whether images, charts, or illustrations— calls for using alt texts. Alt text, or alternative text, serves as a textual description that is integral to making visual elements more comprehensible. Unlike a mere caption, alt text provides specific, contextual information about the graphic content, such as details about charts, colours, and key elements. This detailed yet concise text description ensures that readers using assistive technologies can grasp the nuanced aspects of the visual content, thereby enhancing their understanding and making the material more accessible.

How to do it

Before we even begin adding text descriptions to the various objects in our document, it is wise to take a step back and first determine the type of those visuals.

Consider the following questions:

1. Does your visual serve more of a decorative purpose? In other words, is it primarily a design element that does not convey content? If so, you should:

• avoid unnecessary text descriptions.

2. Does your visual serve a functional purpose? In other words, is it conveying non-text content? If so, you should:

• provide a text alternative that serves the equivalent purpose of the non-text material.

Decorative Visuals

Decorative visuals, including the stylistic emblems, logos, and design elements frequently used in syllabus, assignments, and other course materials, contribute to visual aesthetics without carrying essential information. For users reliant on screen readers, it’s crucial to distinctly categorize these visuals as decorative, to prevent any misconception about their significance and to enhance the overall accessibility of educational content.

• To label a visual as decorative, simply check the “Mark as decorative” option in the Alt Text pane, causing the text entry field to be grayed out.

Alternative Text (Alt-text) descriptions for Functional Visuals

Images and pictures

• When composing alt text, aim to succinctly communicate the content and purpose of the image. Keep it concise, usually limited to a sentence or two, selecting words thoughtfully.
• Focus on capturing essential elements such as the setting, emotions depicted, colors, or relative sizes.
• Avoid redundancy by not repeating surrounding textual content, and refrain from using phrases like “a graphic of” or “an image of,” ensuring the alt text serves its purpose effectively.

Charts and Diagrams

Charts and diagrams, being visual representations of data, demand alt text that delves into the narrative behind the visual. Beyond the basic identification of the chart type, provide a description that encapsulates the starting point, progression, and conclusion of the depicted data.

• Instead of: “A bar chart displaying revenue growth”.
• Use: “A bar chart illustrating the steady increase in quarterly revenue over the last year. Notably, Q3 shows a significant surge, indicating a successful marketing campaign during that period.”

For more details, please refer to the following guide: Step-by-Step instructions for Alt texts in MS Office(external site)

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Reference: ED Accessibility Requirements for Electronic Documents | U.S. Department of Education.