WebAIM - Web Accessibility In Mind

E-mail List Archives

InDesign and adding Alt Text

for

From: Sean Keegan
Date: Sep 14, 2017 5:15PM


I am working with an editor who is creating a document for staff on
accessible InDesign files with the final output of tagged PDF. One of the
topics is adding alternate text to images in InDesign.

I know you can add your alternate text via the Object Export Options dialog
in InDesign and then set the Alt Text Source to Custom (or XMP: Description
if using Adobe Bridge). This is the recommended process at Adobe's site as
well as other websites (e.g., Lynda.com).

I have found a few separate resources that state the author must also set
the Actual Text Source to Custom in the Tagged PDF tab. Here's an example
at Penn State: http://accessibility.psu.edu/pdf/indesign/#ImageAlt

I had only used the initial step of setting the Alt Text Source value for
an image and not using the Actual Text Source, unless it pertained to a
dropped capital or something similar.

Is setting both the Alt Text Source and Actual Text Source to a value
required to add alternate text for an image in InDesign?

Thanks in advance,
Sean