by OIT Staff
October 7, 2021
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Images and Digital Accessibility
Using images can enhance your content and improve your site’s look but when not utilized properly can create barriers for those with low vision, visual tracking problems, or cognitive disabilities that affect reading.
Why Image Accessibility is Important
We do not all experience media in the same way. Some, due to a disability, require the use of screen readers which is a type of software designed to read the contents of a computer screen back to the user and are an often used tool for people with previously mentioned disabilities. Thus for users with screen readers, graphics included without accessibility in mind can pose significant accessibility barriers.
Screen readers will usually recognize a graphic; however, they will be unable to know its contents.
Best Practices for Image Accessibility
Contextually relevant images can typically be made accessible with brief alternative (alt) text describing the content and function of the image. Some key points to remember with alt text are:
- Decorative, non-contextual, images should be marked as “Null”
- If an image is a link or hotspot, the alt text must describe the link’s function.
- Avoid words like "picture of," "image of," or "link to." By default, screen readers already identify links and images.
For a more in-depth look at alternative text, please refer to the Accessibility and Content Team’s Alternative (Alt) Text knowledge base article.
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