Non spacer IMG with equivalent ALT |
Section 508 1194.22(a); WAI / WCAG 1.0 checkpoint 1.1
Issue Description The image appears to have more than a decorative role (i.e., it is not a spacer). It should have an equivalent textual description.
How to check Check to make sure the current ALT description conveys the meaning of the image. The description should explain the role the image plays on the page: why it is there, what it represents, how it presents the information. Imagine hearing the description over the phone.

If the image is used as the content of a link and you provide link text too, use a space as the ALT attribute value of the IMG element. In such a case, link text should be the alternative description for the image.

If the image is used as a hidden link, then its ALT attribute should describe the link destination.

If the image has only decorative purposes (such as images used for bullets or spacers), the ALT string should be a empty string ("") or a blank one (" ").

Issue Explanation The ALT attribute describes the associated image so that users without graphics-enabled browsers can still effectively navigate the page. The description should convey the same information as the image and it should explain the role the image plays on the page - why it is there, what it represents, how it presents the information.

If the image is used within a hidden link (that is, a normal A tag with a spacer as label), then its ALT attribute should describe the link destination. The ALT content is all that non-graphical browsers show for a hidden link. (Hidden links is a technique that can be used to fulfill the 508 rule 1194.22(o), which states "A method shall be provided that permits users to skip repetitive navigation links," and the WAI checkpoint 13.6.)

Notice that adding a good alternative description to images is very important today as many users, for one reason or the other, are not able to take advantage of graphics. They include users of cellular phones, PDAs, or browsers installed in cars.