Thread by @AccessKings

How to write alternative text #AltText for #images and visual objects
 
Describing an image in just a couple of sentences to someone may sound challenging, but it is really important in terms of making your document or webpage #accessible.

We’ll be sharing some tips to help you!

Tip #1: Keep it concise and unambiguous. #AltText should be no longer than 1 or 2 sentences. For more detailed visuals this may need to be longer!

Tip #2: #AltText should be descriptive and specific. Consider what is important about an image. For example, important context may be the setting, the emotions on people's faces, the colours, or the relative sizes.

Tip #3: Don’t waste words. You don’t need to include ‘image of’ in your #AltText. The Screen Reader software will tell the user that it is an image.

Tip #4: Decorative images such as logos + headers do not need #AltText. But you still need to mark them as decorative! To mark an image as decorative, add two quotation marks like this “” in the alt text box. Some programs such as @Office365 provide a ‘mark as decorative’ option.

Tip #5: When dealing with visual objects that give detailed information, such as an #infographic, use #AltText to provide the information conveyed in the object. Try to convey the insight...

For example, ‘A bar chart showing sales over time. In July, sales for brand A surpassed sales for brand B and kept increasing throughout the year.’

#AltText should clearly describe the beginning point, progress, and conclusion of flow charts.

Tip #6: In Microsoft @Office365, #AltText can be generated automatically. If automatic alt text is generated, remember to review and edit it in the Alt Text pane and remove any comments added there such as "Description generated with high confidence."

For more information about #AltText staff and students @KingsCollegeLon can visit the ‘Visuals and use of colour’ section of the King's Content Editors' Hub on the intranet: internal.kcl.ac.uk/content-editor…

. @Microsoft have also published an article: Everything you need to know to write effective #AltText while using Micorosft Office apps

support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/e…