Chloe Typert-Morrison

Alternative Text and Decorative Images

Giving images alternative text is one of the most common accessibility integrations. However, it is still not common in CMS interfaces. This prototype has an option to add alternative text or mark an image as decorative when adding an image to the website. The content creator will not be able to save their image until one of the fields are used.The interface shows a short, plain language description of both options that explain why it is used. The content creator can only use one of the fields per image. If a person adds alternative text and then clicks Mark as Decorative, the Alternative Text field will be disabled until Mark as Decorative is no longer selected. Content creators can also read a lengthier, more technical definition with more examples in another panel.The Alternative Text lengthier description has three content sections. The first is an explanation of what alternative text is, why it is important, and who benefits from it. The following section has tips for writing alternative text in a short bullet list. The third section shows an image with an example of the alternative text to describe it.The Decorative Image lengthier description has two content sections. The first section explains what decorative images are and how using this option helps declutter information the screen readers need to go through. The second section provides a list of examples of what can be considered decorative images.