Three Main Image Categories
Decorative
Image Requiring Alternative Text
Charts, Graphic, or Text Heavy Images

Canvas pages will almost always have images or graphics that will need to have alternative text. Computers and screen readers cannot analyze an image and determine what the image presents, therefore, it is crucial that the content creator determine the purpose of including the image and provide the appropriate alternative text.

Alternative text can be presented in two ways:

Within the ALT attribute of the image element.
Within the context or surroundings of the image itself.

Alternative text should not:

be redundant (be the same as adjacent or body text).
use the phrases "image of…" or "graphic of…".
be more than 12 words or so.

Appropriate alternative text depends heavily on the image's context. Alt Text of a functional image (e.g., an image within a link) should describe the function as well as the content of the image. Decorative images still need a ALT attribute. This can be accomplished by marking it as a decorative image.

Decorative

You may prefer to consider this a decorative image, so you would mark it as such. If this image however was related to the academic content or some other important point you are trying to make, go ahead and give it an alternative text.

Image Requiring An Alt Text

Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches. John W. Creswell Edition 4

In an image such as this textbook, you will need to include word-for-word the all the content in the alternative text area. For example: Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches. John W. Creswell, Edition 4.

Complex Graphic

Season's GrEATing's. This is a complex image. A detailed description is available below.

An alternative text for this image would say “School Menu November 2015, This is an example of a complex image, a longer description is available just below the picture" You may also indicate the alternative text for the complex graphic is on the same page or an adjacent page. Just be sure to place the alt text close enough and be clear where to look.

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