Our friend Jared Smith at WebAIM has sparked some discussion from his post Alt text and linked images. Towards the end of the post, a question arises: does an image with a caption require an ALT attribute, even if the ALT attribute would contain the same text as the caption? I say yes! Another issue is HTML 5 working group’s proposal to make the alt attribute optional for images. I say no!
Author: Dennis
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Web Axe podcasts now monthly
Due to personal and professional commitments, Web Axe podcasts will now be released once a month.
Dennis speaks with Jeffrey Frey and discusses accessible podcasting, guidelines on audio/video web accessibility, and Jeff’s role at Rice University.
Jeff is the Web Services Manager for Enterprise Applications in the Information Technology Department at Rice University. He provides technology solutions for faculty, staff, and students on campus as well as teaches new technology courses at the School of Continuing Studies. He is available for podcasting consulting, is involved in the creation of podcasts for businesses and non-profits, and has owned a technical consulting company and an audio/video recording studio.
Download Web Axe Episode 59 (Jeffrey Frey on Accessible Podcasts)
[Transcript for podcast 59]
Links from Jeffrey Frey’s Blog
- Section 508 Compliant Podcasting and Undue Burden
- Section 508 Compliant Podcasting
- Podcast Captioning
- Accessible Podcasts
Transcription and other related services
From Tom Brinck
Like myself, Tom is from Michigan but now works and lives in the Bay Area in California.
In his article Outsourcing accessibility testing is essential, web accessibility and usability professional Peter Abrahams discusses why testing a web site for accessibility by an external third party is a good idea.
Although the article is an obvious plug for a particular testing company, the point is quite valid. Testing for web accessibility is a critical step, and a company who specializes in that usually has the best resources to do the most complete job, including testing by people with a variety of disabilities.
Two related points made in the article are:
- Specify that accessibility is essential in your requirements definition.
- Once a site has gone into production it is advisable to re-test it on a regular basis to ensure the continued quality and accessibility.
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Lessons from Eye-Tracking Studies
Many excellent web design and coding tips are presented in this article summing up eye-tracking studies: Scientific Web Design: 23 Actionable Lessons from Eye-Tracking Studies. It’s good to see that many of this points are directly related to web accessibility guidelines and web standards.
7. Type size influences viewing behavior.
10. Shorter paragraphs perform better than long ones.
15. Bigger images get more attention.
19. Lists hold reader attention longer.