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Alt Text on Graphic Links

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From: Heather Mariger
Date: Apr 27, 2020 3:38PM

Greetings,

I have a technical question that is a bit beyond my ken:

We have a website with several graphics that are also links. I noticed that
the graphics do not have alt text and checked with WAVE to be sure.

When we let the developer know, he responded:

> From what I remember regarding Accessibility rules is that if the image is
> surrounded by a Hyperlink, then technically it's in compliance because the
> link tells them where they are going.
>
> If the only purpose the image serves is for display then yes an alt tag is
> required.
>
> So the reason this hadn't been brought up before is because the link had
> been set using CSS background property and the browser never would have
> told them there was an image, because it never saw the tag <img> in the
> html DOM.
>
I did test the site with NVDA and it does list the link and not the graphic
but I want to make sure that we are promoting compliance and best
practices.

So, is the information above correct and if not, do you have any good
suggestions for references for me?

Thanks,
H.

*Heather Mariger*
*Digital Accessibility Advocate*

*Pronouns: She/Her*

*Center for Academic Innovation*
*Chemeketa Community College*
*4000 Lancaster Drive NE - 9/126A*
*Salem, OR 97305*

503.589.7832

*****************
*Diversity is being invited to the party; inclusion is being asked to
dance. *
Verna Myers, author and speaker