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Re: no alt-text: lesser of two evils?

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From: Jackson, Derek
Date: Jul 24, 2018 8:56PM

Sorry for the confusion but it could be either/both. We are producing a PDF and an HTML version.


Best!
Derek

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From: WebAIM-Forum < <EMAIL REMOVED> > on behalf of L Snider < <EMAIL REMOVED> >
Sent: Tuesday, July 24, 2018 5:46:04 PM
To: WebAIM Discussion List
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] no alt-text: lesser of two evils?

Oops, you said documents...sorry, what I meant is this a PDF? Word? Other?

Cheers

Lisa

On Tue, Jul 24, 2018 at 4:45 PM, L Snider < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:

> Hi Derek,
>
> I may have missed it, but is this a web page? Document? Other?
>
> Cheers
>
> Lisa
>
> On Tue, Jul 24, 2018 at 4:25 PM, Jackson, Derek <
> <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
>
>> Hello,
>>
>>
>> Often times we must process content that is not ours and which is not
>> accessible. We do our best to improve the documents by adding structure and
>> metadata but we are not permitted to add editorial content, and alt-text is
>> considered editorial content. We have an automated process that gives
>> images an alt attribute but leaves the value blank if no alt-text is
>> provided. The issue is that this is then seen as a presentational image and
>> simply ignored by most Assistive Technology and no image is announced at
>> all. Does anyone have any advice or experience with missing alt-text and if
>> it is "better" to leave the attribute blank (i.e. alt="") or to omit it
>> entirely from the element when alt text is not provided, or does it even
>> make a difference (e.g. both are so insufficient it is inconsequential,
>> both are equally useless)? Is it useful to know that there is a relevant
>> image in the content even if it is not accessible?
>>
>>
>> I hate to ask this question but it is a reality we are sometimes
>> confronted with and hopefully we can do something minimize the affect of
>> the omission a little bit.
>>
>>
>> Thank you!
>>
>> Derek
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> >> >> >> >>
>
>