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Thread: Alt text for the sciences

Number of posts in this thread: 8 (In chronological order)

From: Sarah Ferguson
Date: Fri, Jun 08 2018 9:22AM
Subject: Alt text for the sciences
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Does anyone have some well-written alt text (or long descriptions) for
science diagrams (or other STEM illustrations)? I would like to share
quality examples with our science faculty, but I'm struggling to find
anything.

Sarah

From: Thompson, Rachel
Date: Fri, Jun 08 2018 10:02AM
Subject: Re: Alt text for the sciences
← Previous message | Next message →

We would love to see this too! I'm also looking for good examples for art and art history. Thoughts?

Dr. Rachel S. Thompson
Director, Faculty Resource Center
Office of Information Technology
University of Alabama

> On Jun 8, 2018, at 10:22 AM, Sarah Ferguson < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > wrote:
>
> Does anyone have some well-written alt text (or long descriptions) for
> science diagrams (or other STEM illustrations)? I would like to share
> quality examples with our science faculty, but I'm struggling to find
> anything.
>
>
> Sarah
> > > >

From: Emily Ogle
Date: Fri, Jun 08 2018 10:43AM
Subject: Re: Alt text for the sciences
← Previous message | Next message →

You might reach out to Ted Gies from Elsevier ( = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ) for examples.

> On Jun 8, 2018, at 11:02 AM, Thompson, Rachel < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > wrote:
>
> We would love to see this too! I'm also looking for good examples for art and art history. Thoughts?
>
> Dr. Rachel S. Thompson
> Director, Faculty Resource Center
> Office of Information Technology
> University of Alabama
>
>> On Jun 8, 2018, at 10:22 AM, Sarah Ferguson < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > wrote:
>>
>> Does anyone have some well-written alt text (or long descriptions) for
>> science diagrams (or other STEM illustrations)? I would like to share
>> quality examples with our science faculty, but I'm struggling to find
>> anything.
>>
>>
>> Sarah
>> >> >> >> > > > >

From: Noble,Stephen L.
Date: Sat, Jun 09 2018 11:55AM
Subject: Re: Alt text for the sciences
← Previous message | Next message →

My first suggestion would be the Accessible Image Sample Book created by the DIAGRAM Project:

http://diagramcenter.org/standards-and-practices/accessible-image-sample-book.html

http://diagramcenter.org/table-of-contents-2.html

Next, check out NCAM's earlier work (much of which ended up in the later DIAGRAM work):

http://ncam.wgbh.org/experience_learn/educational_media/describing-images-for-enhanced/science-diargams

http://ncam.wgbh.org/experience_learn/educational_media/stemdx

Hope that helps,

--Steve Noble
= EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
502-969-3088
http://louisville.academia.edu/SteveNoble<;https://exchange.louisville.edu/owa/redir.aspx?CÍhMttRtdkSZAY1GqZCRu5k28cp7bNAIPUU6wKc1De8y-_GlninyxASwkrwRp4PfcJ9J6C2iqrk.&URL=http%3a%2f%2flouisville.academia.edu%2fSteveNoble>

From: WebAIM-Forum < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > on behalf of Sarah Ferguson < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
Sent: Friday, June 8, 2018 11:22 AM
To: WebAIM Discussion List
Subject: [WebAIM] Alt text for the sciences

Does anyone have some well-written alt text (or long descriptions) for
science diagrams (or other STEM illustrations)? I would like to share
quality examples with our science faculty, but I'm struggling to find
anything.

Sarah

From: Sarah Ferguson
Date: Mon, Jun 11 2018 11:01AM
Subject: Re: Alt text for the sciences
← Previous message | Next message →

Thanks, everyone

Sarah Ferguson

On Sat, Jun 9, 2018 at 1:55 PM, Noble,Stephen L. < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
> wrote:

> My first suggestion would be the Accessible Image Sample Book created by
> the DIAGRAM Project:
>
> http://diagramcenter.org/standards-and-practices/
> accessible-image-sample-book.html
>
> http://diagramcenter.org/table-of-contents-2.html
>
>
> Next, check out NCAM's earlier work (much of which ended up in the later
> DIAGRAM work):
>
> http://ncam.wgbh.org/experience_learn/educational_
> media/describing-images-for-enhanced/science-diargams
>
> http://ncam.wgbh.org/experience_learn/educational_media/stemdx
>
>
> Hope that helps,
>
>
> --Steve Noble
> = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
> 502-969-3088
> http://louisville.academia.edu/SteveNoble<;https://
> exchange.louisville.edu/owa/redir.aspx?CÍhMttRtdkSZAY1GqZCRu5k28cp7bN
> AIPUU6wKc1De8y-_GlninyxASwkrwRp4PfcJ9J6C2iqrk.
> &URL=http%3a%2f%2flouisville.academia.edu%2fSteveNoble>
>
>
>
> > From: WebAIM-Forum < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > on behalf of
> Sarah Ferguson < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
> Sent: Friday, June 8, 2018 11:22 AM
> To: WebAIM Discussion List
> Subject: [WebAIM] Alt text for the sciences
>
> Does anyone have some well-written alt text (or long descriptions) for
> science diagrams (or other STEM illustrations)? I would like to share
> quality examples with our science faculty, but I'm struggling to find
> anything.
>
>
> Sarah
> > > com/v2/url?u=http-3A__list.webaim.org_&d=DwIGaQ&c> OAG1LQNACBDguGvBeNj18Swhr9TMTjS-x4O_KuapPgY&r> 67olWPWhVEsI50vpRdydglG2RHA1T81UHrTuRDeUqW4&m=jr9c-
> cBPq9SChmjoQvuYsQt3v6wvz3Jy9EjwOOh0aEk&s=cRv3P3clHKmgov--ab-
> 2W4jCgTXgmHlii4272aUk9pg&e> > com/v2/url?u=http-3A__webaim.org_discussion_archives&d=DwIGaQ&c> OAG1LQNACBDguGvBeNj18Swhr9TMTjS-x4O_KuapPgY&r> 67olWPWhVEsI50vpRdydglG2RHA1T81UHrTuRDeUqW4&m=jr9c-
> cBPq9SChmjoQvuYsQt3v6wvz3Jy9EjwOOh0aEk&s=Bvs95nI5tszGq3bgwswYPS1lOGgzU0
> 5wiw34z-1ZumA&e> > > > > >

From: L Snider
Date: Mon, Jun 11 2018 1:14PM
Subject: Re: Alt text for the sciences
← Previous message | Next message →

Hi Rachel,

Try these to start for art and art history:

- http://www.museumsandtheweb.com/mw2001/papers/anable/anable.html
- http://www.artbeyondsight.org/handbook/acs-onlinetraining.shtml
- https://studio.carnegiemuseums.org/museums-and-the-web-2016-
accessibility-d421c75e0788 (small part of this article)

There are other articles, but these were the ones that came to mind quickly.

It is an interesting topic, because alt text is never really simple and I
have found that subject terms in this area (art, art history, photo
history, archives, etc.) can be problematic. Do you describe what is there?
Context? Artist intent? Objects and colours and what they mean? How far
down the rabbit hole does that send one?

I recently gave a three hour seminar on subject terms and taxonomies. While
it didn't cover alt text, it did cover description and boy are there many
issues to consider in terms of language, tone, etc. and in my personal
view, all would apply to alt text as well.

In the end, in my opinion, it is usually (but not always) very tough to
make short descriptive alt text for this subject matter that covers more
than just the title, creator, etc. and that is where the text on the page
comes in. This doesn't always apply of course, but in my experience it has
been this way...

Cheers

Lisa

On Fri, Jun 8, 2018 at 11:02 AM, Thompson, Rachel < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
wrote:

> We would love to see this too! I'm also looking for good examples for art
> and art history. Thoughts?
>
> Dr. Rachel S. Thompson
> Director, Faculty Resource Center
> Office of Information Technology
> University of Alabama
>
> > On Jun 8, 2018, at 10:22 AM, Sarah Ferguson < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > wrote:
> >
> > Does anyone have some well-written alt text (or long descriptions) for
> > science diagrams (or other STEM illustrations)? I would like to share
> > quality examples with our science faculty, but I'm struggling to find
> > anything.
> >
> >
> > Sarah
> > > > > > > > > > > > >

From: Emily Ogle
Date: Mon, Jun 11 2018 1:58PM
Subject: Re: Alt text for the sciences
← Previous message | Next message →

Realizing in reviewing my email that I should likely provide more context:

I used to work at Elsevier and I was part of the alt text pilot team where everyone added alt text to images in a physical anatomy terminology book. This was really quite complex alt text, as the images themselves were meant to be teaching, so it was a matter of balancing description and length.

Ted Gies was a part of that team and heads up Elsevier's accessibility efforts. He could provide some examples of complex yet succinct alt text, including ultrasounds, diagrams, etc. = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = .

Emily

> On Jun 11, 2018, at 2:14 PM, L Snider < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > wrote:
>
> Hi Rachel,
>
> Try these to start for art and art history:
>
> - http://www.museumsandtheweb.com/mw2001/papers/anable/anable.html
> - http://www.artbeyondsight.org/handbook/acs-onlinetraining.shtml
> - https://studio.carnegiemuseums.org/museums-and-the-web-2016-
> accessibility-d421c75e0788 (small part of this article)
>
> There are other articles, but these were the ones that came to mind quickly.
>
> It is an interesting topic, because alt text is never really simple and I
> have found that subject terms in this area (art, art history, photo
> history, archives, etc.) can be problematic. Do you describe what is there?
> Context? Artist intent? Objects and colours and what they mean? How far
> down the rabbit hole does that send one?
>
> I recently gave a three hour seminar on subject terms and taxonomies. While
> it didn't cover alt text, it did cover description and boy are there many
> issues to consider in terms of language, tone, etc. and in my personal
> view, all would apply to alt text as well.
>
> In the end, in my opinion, it is usually (but not always) very tough to
> make short descriptive alt text for this subject matter that covers more
> than just the title, creator, etc. and that is where the text on the page
> comes in. This doesn't always apply of course, but in my experience it has
> been this way...
>
> Cheers
>
> Lisa
>
>
> On Fri, Jun 8, 2018 at 11:02 AM, Thompson, Rachel < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
> wrote:
>
>> We would love to see this too! I'm also looking for good examples for art
>> and art history. Thoughts?
>>
>> Dr. Rachel S. Thompson
>> Director, Faculty Resource Center
>> Office of Information Technology
>> University of Alabama
>>
>>> On Jun 8, 2018, at 10:22 AM, Sarah Ferguson < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > wrote:
>>>
>>> Does anyone have some well-written alt text (or long descriptions) for
>>> science diagrams (or other STEM illustrations)? I would like to share
>>> quality examples with our science faculty, but I'm struggling to find
>>> anything.
>>>
>>>
>>> Sarah
>>> >>> >>> >>> >> >> >> >> >>
> > > >

From: Jim Allan
Date: Tue, Jun 12 2018 9:11AM
Subject: Re: Alt text for the sciences
← Previous message | No next message

It is also important to be consistent across alt within the application. I
have often been asked to help remediate online textbooks for an isolated
image. Isolated from the rest of the book, I had some text to work with.
The books/subjects build vocabulary and concepts though out the year. it is
important to build the alt with the same vocabulary and concepts as the
chapter. Knowing the context and have the surround text is critical to
putting salient information in the alt.
Jim

On Mon, Jun 11, 2018 at 2:58 PM Emily Ogle via WebAIM-Forum <
= EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > wrote:

> Realizing in reviewing my email that I should likely provide more context:
>
> I used to work at Elsevier and I was part of the alt text pilot team where
> everyone added alt text to images in a physical anatomy terminology book.
> This was really quite complex alt text, as the images themselves were meant
> to be teaching, so it was a matter of balancing description and length.
>
> Ted Gies was a part of that team and heads up Elsevier's accessibility
> efforts. He could provide some examples of complex yet succinct alt text,
> including ultrasounds, diagrams, etc. = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = .
>
> Emily
>
> > On Jun 11, 2018, at 2:14 PM, L Snider < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > wrote:
> >
> > Hi Rachel,
> >
> > Try these to start for art and art history:
> >
> > - http://www.museumsandtheweb.com/mw2001/papers/anable/anable.html
> > - http://www.artbeyondsight.org/handbook/acs-onlinetraining.shtml
> > - https://studio.carnegiemuseums.org/museums-and-the-web-2016-
> > accessibility-d421c75e0788 (small part of this article)
> >
> > There are other articles, but these were the ones that came to mind
> quickly.
> >
> > It is an interesting topic, because alt text is never really simple and I
> > have found that subject terms in this area (art, art history, photo
> > history, archives, etc.) can be problematic. Do you describe what is
> there?
> > Context? Artist intent? Objects and colours and what they mean? How far
> > down the rabbit hole does that send one?
> >
> > I recently gave a three hour seminar on subject terms and taxonomies.
> While
> > it didn't cover alt text, it did cover description and boy are there many
> > issues to consider in terms of language, tone, etc. and in my personal
> > view, all would apply to alt text as well.
> >
> > In the end, in my opinion, it is usually (but not always) very tough to
> > make short descriptive alt text for this subject matter that covers more
> > than just the title, creator, etc. and that is where the text on the page
> > comes in. This doesn't always apply of course, but in my experience it
> has
> > been this way...
> >
> > Cheers
> >
> > Lisa
> >
> >
> > On Fri, Jun 8, 2018 at 11:02 AM, Thompson, Rachel < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
> > wrote:
> >
> >> We would love to see this too! I'm also looking for good examples for
> art
> >> and art history. Thoughts?
> >>
> >> Dr. Rachel S. Thompson
> >> Director, Faculty Resource Center
> >> Office of Information Technology
> >> University of Alabama
> >>
> >>> On Jun 8, 2018, at 10:22 AM, Sarah Ferguson < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
> wrote:
> >>>
> >>> Does anyone have some well-written alt text (or long descriptions) for
> >>> science diagrams (or other STEM illustrations)? I would like to share
> >>> quality examples with our science faculty, but I'm struggling to find
> >>> anything.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> Sarah
> >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >>
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > >

--
Jim Allan, Accessibility Coordinator
Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
1100 W. 45th St., Austin, Texas 78756
voice 512.206.9315 fax: 512.206.9452 http://www.tsbvi.edu/
"We shape our tools and thereafter our tools shape us." McLuhan, 1964