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Digital Accessibility

Multipurpose List Alt Text

If you include images in list items that link, you must write alt text for those images even if they would normally be considered decorative. Any image that serves as part of a link requires alt text.

Adding & Replacing Alt Text

Consider alt text each time you add an image to a multipurpose list and whenever you replace an existing image.

  1. Select your image, then click the Image icon to get to the Insert/Edit options.
    • The top display of edit options for an OU Campus page. A button with a folder icon is followed by four tab options, Preview, Edit, Properties, and Versions. To the right are four more buttons, the first with a checkmark, then a box icon and downward error, then with a yellow lightbulb icon, and finally, a green Publish button with a dropdown arrow. There is also a small gray circle with a white question mark in it next to the Publish button. The first row of icons includes Save, cancel, scissors, two stacked papers, a clipboard with an empty paper, a clipboard with filled paper, binoculars, undo and redo errors, spell check, italics, bold, bullets, numbered list, increase and decrease indent, quotation marks, x squared, x with a subscript, left align, center, right align, full width text, link, envelope, and anchor. The second row includes Paragraph and a dropdown, Styles and a dropdown, and an image icon in a garnet rectangle for emphasis followed by a dash, an arrow pointing left, C in a circle, a puzzle piece, two arrows in an oval, Insert component symbol, table with a dropdown, and four arrows pointing outwards to maximize content. The head on the page being edited includes the UofSC monogram, South Carolina, and Communications and Public Affairs.
       
  2. If the image offers absolutely no important visual information, you may check the "Decorative" option box. Otherwise, make sure this box is left unchecked.

  3. Add your alt text to the "Description" box. Click "OK" to confirm.
    • The Insert/Edit Image dialogue box over a Multipurpose List Widget with placeholder text and gray image blocks. The modal includes two tabs, General and Appearance. On the General tab, Source and its text field, an unchecked Decorative box, and Description with text field that says List Thumbnail are surrounded by a garnet rectangle for emphasis. Tooltip and ID both display empty text fields. Dimensions fields are empty, with Constrain proportions checked. Class dropdown shows (not set), and there are Cancel and OK buttons towards the bottom of the modal.
       

Decorative Images

You can tell screen readers to skip your image if it conveys absolutely no important visual information or if it merely repeats information that is already on the page.

Marking an Image as Decorative in Multipurpose Lists

Check the "Decorative" option box under Insert/Edit Image (shown above). Then click "OK" to save.

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