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What are the guidelines for providing alternative text and captions in your web application?

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Web applications are interactive and dynamic software that run on web browsers and servers. They can offer many benefits, such as convenience, efficiency, and scalability, but they also pose some challenges for accessibility. Accessibility means that web applications are designed and developed to be usable by everyone, regardless of their abilities or disabilities. One of the key aspects of accessibility is providing alternative text and captions for non-text content, such as images, audio, and video. Alternative text and captions can help people who use screen readers, have low vision, are deaf or hard of hearing, or have cognitive or learning disabilities to understand and enjoy your web application. In this article, we will explain what alternative text and captions are, why they are important, and how to follow the guidelines for creating them.

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Ashwin Sathian

Lead Engineer | SaaS Product Specialist | Driving Innovation with Angular, Node.js, MongoDB, & Cloud Technologies
Joel O.

Information Security Engineer| Risk management| Vulnerability and Configuration Management| Azure Cloud Operations…
Subaash B

ASE @ TCS | Passionate React dev | Tech content writer | Active open source contributor

1 What is alternative text?

Alternative text, also known as alt text, is a short and descriptive text that conveys the meaning and purpose of an image or other non-text element in your web application. It is not visible on the screen, but it is read by screen readers or displayed when the image cannot be loaded. For example, if you have a logo image on your web application, the alt text could be the name of your company or product. Alt text should be concise, accurate, and relevant to the context of your web application.

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Joel O.

Information Security Engineer| Risk management| Vulnerability and Configuration Management| Azure Cloud Operations Engineer| Technical Writer
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Alternative text (alt text) is a crucial element of web accessibility and usability. While it is not visible to sighted users, alt text serves as a valuable tool for screen readers and accessibility tools to provide context and meaning to images and non-text elements on web pages. This allows visually impaired users to fully understand and interact with web content.

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2 What is a caption?

A caption is a text that accompanies an audio or video element in your web application and provides a synchronized transcription or translation of the speech and sound effects. It is usually displayed at the bottom of the screen, but it can also be customized to suit the preferences of the user. For example, if you have a video tutorial on your web application, the caption could provide the instructions and explanations of the narrator and the actions on the screen. Captions should be clear, complete, and synchronized with the audio or video.

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Joel O.

Information Security Engineer| Risk management| Vulnerability and Configuration Management| Azure Cloud Operations Engineer| Technical Writer
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Captions, also known as subtitles, are essential tools to enhance web accessibility and reach a wider audience. They provide a synchronized transcription of the audio or video content, enabling individuals with hearing impairments to fully comprehend and engage with the content. By providing a visual representation of speech and sound effects, captions bridge the communication gap and foster inclusivity.

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3 Why are alternative text and captions important?

Alternative text and captions are important because they make your web application more accessible, inclusive, and user-friendly. They can help people who use screen readers, have low vision, are deaf or hard of hearing, or have cognitive or learning disabilities to access and understand your web application content. They can also benefit people who have limited bandwidth, use different devices or browsers, or prefer to read rather than listen or watch. Alternative text and captions can also improve your web application's search engine optimization (SEO) and performance, as they can provide relevant keywords and reduce the loading time of your web application.

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Subaash B

ASE @ TCS | Passionate React dev | Tech content writer | Active open source contributor
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Alt texts are crucial especially with media content that can't be interpreted to users relying on screen readers. Non-Interpretable media includes images, GIF files and even videos without captions. People with visual impairments or poor vision often use screen readers. When media content serves an important purpose on a website, like linking to another page, screen readers may not recognize the embedded link. So, it is always a best practice to use alt texts to assist screen reader technologies. Alt texts are also helpful for the media content with longer loading times, acting as placeholders and let the user know about the image that is about to appear

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Joel O.

Information Security Engineer| Risk management| Vulnerability and Configuration Management| Azure Cloud Operations Engineer| Technical Writer
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Alt text and captions play a crucial role in creating accessible, inclusive, and user-friendly web applications. They empower individuals with disabilities to fully engage with web content and enhance the overall user experience for all. By providing context, transcribing audio, and improving SEO, alt text and captions are fundamental elements of accessible web design.

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4 How to follow the guidelines for alternative text and captions?

The guidelines for alternative text and captions are based on the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), which are the international standards for web accessibility. According to these principles, you should provide alternative text for all images and other non-text elements that convey information or functionality in your web application, such as graphs, charts, icons, buttons, or maps. The alt attribute should be used to specify the alternative text in your HTML code. Additionally, the alternative text should describe the content and function of the image or element, not its appearance or format. Furthermore, captions should be provided for all audio and video elements that contain speech or sound effects in your web application. The captions should transcribe or translate the speech and sound effects of the audio or video element. Moreover, there should be options for the user to turn on or off, adjust, or customize the captions. Ultimately, following these best practices will help inform and reassure stakeholders while providing valuable insights for improving cloud security posture.

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Ashwin Sathian

Lead Engineer | SaaS Product Specialist | Driving Innovation with Angular, Node.js, MongoDB, & Cloud Technologies
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Providing alternative text and captions is like telling a vivid story where everyone feels included. Describe images with clarity and simplicity, like explaining a scene to a friend over the phone. For videos or audios, captions should be your subtitles, translating every sound and dialogue. Think of complex images as stories; narrate them richly. Decorative elements? They're like silent characters in a play; no need for a speaking role. It's more than ticking a box; it's about weaving an inclusive narrative where every user gets to experience the full story of your web app.

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5 How to test your alternative text and captions?

Testing your alternative text and captions is essential to ensure that they are effective and accessible. You can use various tools and methods, such as a screen reader or browser extension to read aloud or display the alternative text of your images and other non-text elements. Additionally, you can use a browser tool or validator to check if your HTML code contains the alt attribute and the <track> element for images and audio or video elements. A browser tool or simulator can also be used to disable the images or audio or video elements in order to check if the alternative text and captions provide sufficient information and functionality for the user. Furthermore, feedback from real users, particularly those with disabilities or using assistive technologies, can be requested in order to evaluate the usability and accessibility of your alternative text and captions. By following these guidelines and best practices, you can create alternative text and captions that improve accessibility, inclusivity, user-friendliness, SEO, performance, reputation, and customer satisfaction of your web application.

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6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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What are the guidelines for providing alternative text and captions in your web application?

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3

4

5

6

1 What is alternative text?

2 What is a caption?

3 Why are alternative text and captions important?

4 How to follow the guidelines for alternative text and captions?

5 How to test your alternative text and captions?

6 Here’s what else to consider

Web Applications

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What are the guidelines for providing alternative text and captions in your web application?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 What is alternative text?

2 What is a caption?

3 Why are alternative text and captions important?

4 How to follow the guidelines for alternative text and captions?

5 How to test your alternative text and captions?

6 Here’s what else to consider

Web Applications

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