Alt text for images (website accessibility)

Hi @Terry4, I use software called a screen reader. It reads text, graphics, and other user interface items aloud or presents them on a braille display, and allows me to use the keyboard to navigate. I put an example above of what it says for graphics with and without alt text. (I also use screen magnification, so I can zoom in to 10x and scroll around the picture to piece it together. But not everyone with a visual impairment has enough vision to use screen magnification.) Typically, if a graphic has no alt text, it will just read the file name (which is sometimes useful, but mostly not).

This is why it would be nice to have a text box with a label like, “Add description for users with visual impairments” or something like that when uploading images… Most people aren’t familiar with HTML or alt text.

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@Terry4, none of your images seem to have alt text. But @Tim35’s did work.

@Lorraine and others who may have no idea what we’re talking about here. This is an old video (2001) but it gives a good explanation of how a screen reader works and what alt text is.

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How about this one?

I replaced the [bracketed text] in the html string with “Norm.”

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Yes, that one says “Norm”. :slight_smile:

OK. I learned something new today!

I agree with your suggested concept. If people without sight impairments could add the descriptive alt text then adding a text box label prompting a description would not be necessary. The reality, however, is that few of us sighted individuals currently add descriptive alt text to images (I didn’t know it existed until just now.) or are likely to learn how to do it any time soon. Easing the way with a friendly prompt makes sense to me.

Is this possible @Mila?

How about being able to enlarge print size ? Nancy50

Most operating systems and web browsers these days allow direct enlarging of fonts without having to rely on a website implementing that feature. I’ve seen websites with such features, but then you end up with fonts large on some sites and small on others… Better just to enlarge everything via the browser or screen magnification. Maybe TuDiabetes would benefit from an accessibility post that instructs people on how to enlarge fonts if that would be helpful to them…

Discourse works fairly well and reflows text when font sizes are enlarged via the web browser, in my experience.

I just learned a new magnifier on my iPad. I hope this helps. Thank you for responding. Nancy50