WebAIM - Web Accessibility In Mind

E-mail List Archives

Re: When "Alt" is not the semantically-correct representation of an image

for

From: Steve Faulkner
Date: Jul 28, 2018 7:34AM


Hi Ryan, that's why it says in the spec:

" Sometimes, an image only contains text, and the purpose of the image is
to display text using visual effects and /or fonts. It is *strongly*
recommended that text styled using CSS be used, but if this is not
possible, provide the same text in the alt attribute as is in the image. "
https://www.w3.org/TR/html/semantics-embedded-content.html#images-of-text

--

Regards

SteveF
Current Standards Work @W3C
<http://www.paciellogroup.com/blog/2015/03/current-standards-work-at-w3c/>;

On 28 July 2018 at 14:29, Ryan E. Benson < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:

> Just a friendly reminder that accessibility stretches past screen readers.
> I can't test right now, but this could cause headaches for people who
> magnify the screen versus using a screen reader, depending on how the text
> is hidden.
>
> Ryan E. Benson
>
> On Sat, Jul 28, 2018, 02:40 Steve Faulkner < <EMAIL REMOVED> >
> wrote:
>
> > The HTML spec includes advice/examples along these lines:
> >
> > Images of text
> > https://www.w3.org/TR/html/semantics-embedded-content.
> html#images-of-text
> > Inline images
> > https://www.w3.org/TR/html/semantics-embedded-content.html#inline-images
> >
> > --
> >
> > Regards
> >
> > SteveF
> > Current Standards Work @W3C
> > <http://www.paciellogroup.com/blog/2015/03/current-
> standards-work-at-w3c/>
> >
> > On 28 July 2018 at 05:25, Birkir R. Gunnarsson <
> > <EMAIL REMOVED> >
> > wrote:
> >
> > > I was one of the people criticizing role="text".
> > > If you present something as an image to some users you should present
> > > it to all users.
> > > Suppose you feel the need to use a heart icon to express your undying
> > > love for nacho fries:
> > > "I heart nacho fries"
> > > ("heart" being an image of a heart"), you chose a certain style /
> > approach.
> > > You can make it accessible by adding alt="love" if you want the
> > > literal meaning or alt="heart" if you want to inform a screen reader
> > > user that a heart icon stands for love (or, in this case, lust).
> > > Yes, the screen reader will add the word "graphics" or "image" to the
> > > sentence (depending on which one you use). A screen reader user is
> > > used to that, it's the standard for how an icon is presented.
> > >
> > > If you wanted to simply express your love as text you could have just
> > > written "I love nacho fries". The cognitive load for a screen reader
> > > user is no greater than that of other users who see text mixed with an
> > > image.
> > >
> > > If you are really worried mark the image as presentational and replace
> > > it with a visually hidden text,, or tell your content person that
> > > mixing text and images like that can present a problem to screen
> > > reader users; possibly others as well, what about users with cognitive
> > > impairments, they may benefit or be harmed by this approach.
> > > We don't need ARIA to fix what is not really a problem. I have yet to
> > > see a convincing example where this role can be used for a purpose
> > > other than avoiding the word "graphic" to be added by a screen reader.
> > >
> > >
> > > On 7/27/18, Duff Johnson < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
> > > > Hi Steve,
> > > >
> > > >>> But role="text" is not a
> > > >>> documented role (yet?).
> > > >>
> > > >> It was dumped from ARIA as there was not consensus on how it should
> > be
> > > >> implemented.
> > > >
> > > > Boo. Hiss. This should get another look.
> > > >
> > > > Or… add an "ActualText" attribute to HTML 5.3.. :-)
> > > >
> > > > Duff.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > Work hard. Have fun. Make history.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > >
> > > > >