WebAIM - Web Accessibility In Mind

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Re: PowerPoint accessibility-alt question

for

From: Clark, Michelle - NRCS, Washington, DC
Date: Apr 21, 2014 1:47PM

Duff,

I agree. I was thinking that was the solution but was not sure and had to find some notes. I took Document Remediation Training in late Jan from SSB Bart in a collaboration with Columbia Lighthouse. At least I can say there is something I remembered correctly.

Michelle

-----Original Message-----
From: <EMAIL REMOVED> [mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ] On Behalf Of Duff Johnson
Sent: Monday, April 21, 2014 2:50 PM
To: WebAIM Discussion List
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] PowerPoint accessibility-alt question

> Bevi, earlier in the thread you wrote that "no MS Office program gives us the option of setting a graphic (or other image item) as an artifact. And the HTML null tag "" (double quotes) is not available in any office, graphics or desktop publishing program. It's strictly an HTML tag at this time. ".

The concept exists in PDF as "Artifact".

> However a contact at SSB Bart Group emailed me the following: "The equivalent of alt="" in Office (specifically Word), is attained by creating null alternative text. To do this, open the Image properties, and for the alternative text, enter a Space followed by a Return. This creates a blank space and renders the image's alternative text as null (or alt="")".
>
> Is this advice incorrect?

It's a hack. Some assistive technology may recognize such and ignore the image. Others may do the "wrong" thing - announce an image with no alternative text.

Duff.
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