A text equivalent is a phrase, sentence, or combination of phrases and sentences that you write and associate with a particular image. The text should describe the image's visual appearance; and it can include instructions on how to take an action, such as navigating through online Help by clicking an arrow image.
A screen reader, such as JAWS for Windows by Freedom Scientific Inc., normally translates text into synthesized speech or a refreshable Braille display. By including text equivalents in your Web page or application, you allow images to be translated as well.
Ideally, a text equivalent provides the user with the same information as the original content. For example, if a Web page displayed an image of an office building with a small lake, you might write "Microsoft campus photo with lake" as the text equivalent.
|