Providing short text alternatives that provide a brief description of the non-text content

When to Use

Applies to all technologies

Description

This technique is used when the text needed to serve the same purpose and present the same information as the original non-text content is too lengthy or when this goal cannot be achieved with text alone. In that case this technique is used to provide a short text alternative that briefly describes the non-text content. (A long text alternative is then provided using another technique such that the combination serves the same purpose and presents the same information as the original non-text content.)

In deciding what text to include in the alternative, it is often a good idea to consider the following questions:

• Why is this non-text content here?
• What information is it presenting?
• What purpose does it fulfill?
• If I could not use the non-text content, what words would I use to convey the same function and/or information?

Examples

• A chart showing sales for October has an short text alternative of "October sales chart". It also has a long description that provides all of the information on the chart.

Tests

Related Techniques

• G74
• G73
• G92
• G94

Resources