Images, links & Color
Creating accessible content
Images should never be the only means of conveying information. A text equivalent needs to available for any image which provides information. If images are used for navigation, the image must have an alt attribute with the same text as the navigation graphic. If the image is solely for “eye candy” then an empty alt attribute must be used.
- Pay attention to the context of the images. If the image adds to the content of the page then describe it in an alt attribute.
- If the image is eye candy than use an empty alt tag (alt="").
- An image used as a title for a page should include all of the text in the image in the alt attribute.
- If an image provides sensory information (think flaming logo) then an appropriate alt attribute should convey that information.
What Not to Do
- Don’t include extraneous information. This alt attribute is way too long unless you are describing an image on a site about flags: "Image of of an American Flag (Red, White and Blue) about one a quarter inches by one inch"
- Don’t include the word “link” in an alt attribute for an image used as a hyperlink: "link to aeronautics home page". Screen readers will identify the fact that there is a link.
- Don’t include file information: "spacer.gif 236 bytes"
- If an image is a link, don’t provide an alt attribute that is meaningless when out of context: "Click here"