Solutions: Checkpoint A, text equivalents

A text equivalent means adding words to represent the purpose of a non-text element. This provision requires that when an image indicates a navigational action such as "move to the next screen" or "go back to the top of the page," the image must be accompanied by actual text that states the purpose of the image. This provision also requires that when an image is used to represent page content, the image must have a text description accompanying it that explains the meaning of the image.

Before:
<img src="logo-green.gif">

After:
<img src="logo-green.gif" alt="Green Company Logo">

Empty ALT Attribute

Web page authors often utilize transparent graphics for spacing. Adding a text description to these elements will produce unnecessary clutter for users of screen readers. For such graphics, an empty ALT attribute is useful.

Before:
<IMG src="transparent.gif" alt="blank space">

After:
<IMG src="transparent.gif" alt="">

Long Description

This attribute specifies a link to a long description of the image. This description should be placed directly on the page, either above or below the image. This is often used for images of complex elements, such as graphs or images that require a lengthier description to convey its meaning. In the past, the “longdesc” attribute was recommended for these purposes. It is now recommended that we abandon this attribute and replace it with a description directly on the page. This will help all users to understand the meaning of our more elaborate images.

The graph shows Ice Cube Tray sales in July, August, September and October for the Far North, Near North, Near South, Deep South Regions. The data show two major trends. The first: that in any month, sales of ice cube trays increase the further south you go. The second: sales in each region decrease as the season changes from summer to autumn.

Or, if you want more detail:

• In the Far North, sales were 3, 4, 2, and 1 ice cube trays from July through October. Total sales in the Far North were 10 trays.

• In the Near North, sales were 8, 7, 5 and 2 ice cube trays from July through October. Total sales in the Near North were 22 trays.

• In the Near South, sales were 23, 18, 11 and 5 ice cube trays from July through October. Total sales in the Near South were 57 trays.

• In the Deep South, sales were 49, 43, 30 and 10 ice cube trays from July through October. Total sales in the Deep South were 132 trays.