About This Page
This page has been adapted from the images core concept page on the WSU digital accessibility website by Daniel Rieck (daniel.rieck@wsu.edu). Specifically, Daniel first included most of the narrative content from the original image page and then expanded it with additional examples to create more opportunities to demonstrate how to test a document for common accessibility errors that involve images. This page was used as part of a presentation on web accessibility testing for GAAD 2024.
This page has no accessibility issues that affect images. Meaningful and concise alt text has been set for every image on the page. A complex image included on the page has been given a detailed text description. Writing that has been encoded into one of the images on the page has also been provided as alt text.
Importance of Images
Images can add visual interest to the content, help people orient themselves within the content, and provide complementary information to assist with understanding the content. However, images can create barriers when they are not accessible. Images that are not accessible may cause people to miss contextual information conveyed by images, and images with motion may adversely affect some viewers.
Alternative Text
Images With Text
Decorative Images
Decorative images are those that do not convey important content, are used only for layout or aesthetic purposes, or do not have a function (e.g., are not links). Decorative images must be implemented in a way that can be ignored by assistive technology. This will improve the experience for people using assistive technology.
Example: A divider created using multiple dot images.
If each of the images included “dot” as alternative text, assistive technology would consider the images important and read, “Graphic dot. Graphic dot. Graphic dot. Graphic dot. Graphic dot.” This creates a poor experience.
Linked Images
Complex Images
Complex images are intended to convey a lot of information such as flyers, charts, graphs, diagrams, and maps. When an equivalent textual substitute cannot be provided as short alternative text, the textual substitute must be provided elsewhere. Options include:
- A detailed description and/or a data table adjacent to the image on the same page.
- A link to a separate page with detailed information about the image. The link can be adjacent to the image or the image itself can be linked.
When using these options, alternative text is still necessary on complex images. It should describe the image in general terms or, if the image is linked, the link destination.
Example of a Complex Image
Program Assessment Cycle
- Repeated steps in the program assessment cycle
- Program SLOs & questions about student learning
- Learning opportunities & curriculum map
- Plan assessment measures
- Gather student learning evidence
- Interpret evidence
- Use evidence to support student learning