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Digital Accessibility

Simple 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

You must add alt text for any images that link, even if they would normally be considered decorative. Consider alt text each time you add an image to a simple 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 the Save button, a yellow lightbulb icon indicating checked out content, a green Publish button with a dropdown arrow, an Expand icon, and an ellipsis for more settings. 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 Digital Accessibility.
       
  2. If the image doesn't link and offers absolutely no important visual information, you may check the "Image is decorative" option box. Otherwise, make sure this box is left unchecked. 

  3. Add your alt text to the “Alternative description” box. Click “Save” to confirm.
    • The Insert/Edit Image modal over a Simple List Snippet. Fields for Source, Accessibility, and Alternative Description are emphasized with a garnet rectangle. The modal has two tabs, General and Advanced. General tab is selected and includes several options: Source text field and upload button, an unchecked Image is decorative box, Alternative Description text field with List Thumbnail as placeholder text, Image Title text field, Width and Height text fields with ratio lock icon, Class dropdown (not set), Custom Class text field, and ID text field. Cancel and Save buttons are at the bottom.
       

Video Tutorial

Learn how to add alt text to your simple list images.


Decorative Images

As long as your image doesn't link, you can tell screen readers to skip your image if conveys absolutely no important visual information or if it merely repeats information that is already on the page.

Marking an Image as Decorative in Simple Lists

Check the "Image is decorative" option box under Insert/Edit Image (shown above). Then click "Save" to confirm.

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