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Re: Question about image in the alt attribute

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From: Jonathan Avila
Date: Aug 2, 2014 9:15PM

[Jared wrote] It is called *ALTERNATIVE* text for a reason. This situation would morph alt into a type of supplementary or advisory text.

I have to disagree. I am not asking for any supplementary information or anything different from what is already in the alt. I'm not asking for an additional analysis of the image -- simply asking for the replacement text to be displayed along with the image. The assumption that people make is that if you can see the image then you don't need the alternative and if you have a visual impairment or cognitive disability then you'll be using text-to-speech. The fact is that many people with low vision may enlarge the text and read a site but may not be able to see the image well enough to see it and yet the alternative that should be available for them is not available but is with a screen reader or is available if they turn off all images on the page. I'm pretty confident that most people with visual impairments are not using text-to-speech but would benefit from access to the alternative because they cannot perceive the fine details in the image.

[Jared wrote] But the idea that we should change the purpose of "alternative text" to be "alternative text plus some other stuff that some users might benefit from" is very dangerous.

I never suggested anything of the sort. I'm only asking for the image's replacement alternative text to easily be displayed. Currently you have to install plug-ins to access this on the desktop and on mobile devices these plug-ins don't exist.

Jonathan