Make your Digital Media Projects Accessible

The purpose of alt-text is to provide a description of the contents of an image. Alt-text is to provide text for visitors who can't see images.

• Images used to present information only through visuals are not accessible to people who are visually impaired.
• Add alternative text to any images that convey information or has a function. Make sure the text alternative serves the equivalent purpose as the non-text content. In other words, if you swapped the image with the text alternative, the person reading the text alternative would be able to receive the same information and perform the same image-related tasks as a person who is able to see the image.
• For decorative images, simply enter Decorative. A screen-reader will announce "image, decorative" and the user will understand the image does not relay any pertinent information.
• For linked images, convey the destination of the link in the alt attribute.
• Communicate the content and function of the image.
• Do not put the words “image of...” or "graphic of..." at the start of the alt text.
• Do not use the filename as the text alternative, such as “Oct.jpg”.
• Do not repeat the same information contained in an adjacent caption or surrounding text

Transcripts are the text version of infographics.Transcripts for infographics provide visual information for the visually impaired who wouldn’t be able to access it otherwise.

• If there is any dialogue in the infographic, include the identity of who is speaking.
• Ensure that the same information is conveyed in the transcript as it is in the infographic.

Colour choice affects some people's ability to receive information. Follow the guidelines below to select a colour palette that is accessible to your users. 

• Use a colour contrast tool to ensure that the contrast between the link and the surrounding text is at least 3:1.
• Any information presented only through colour cues may not by seen by people who are visually impaired. This includes information indicating an action, prompting a response, or distinguishing a visual element. 
• Ensure that any information presented only through colour cues is available in text or through other (non-colour) visual cues. Try viewing the page in grey-scale to determine what information us unavailable when viewing the page in this state. 
• For complex graphs or data, use patterns or shapes in addition to colour to convey differences. 

Recommended colour contrast tools:

This guide has been adapted from: