Instructions
Section 5.1: Alternative Text
All images regardless of their complexity need to have an Alt text in some way. Alt Text is a brief description of your image that is 150 characters or less. This Alt Text is meant for any image that has meaning within the context of the document. Screen readers cannot read images to the reader, so Alt text acts as a substitute. To add an Alt Text to your image,
Right-click the image and select Alt Text.
Type the alt text in the menu that pops up to the right. Use 150 characters or less.
If the image is decorative, write the word Decorative as the alt text.
Examples of Alt Text
This example of Alt Text fails to describe all of the details in the image.
This example of Alt Text is much better. It describes many details in the image so that the reader has a better idea of what is in the picture.
Section 5.2: Long Descriptions for Complex Images, Pie Charts, and Bar Graphs
When using complex images, you should include a link to a long description in addition to an Alt Text. Sometimes, 150 characters is not enough to describe your image, table, chart, or graph to a reader. Alt Text is meant to be short, while long description will let you give as much info as needed. It is recommended to create your long description in Google Docs, then link the document to your presentation.
This image of the Hagia Sophia in Turkey has an Alt Text. However, there is no long description.
This image of the Hagia Sofia has an alt text. There is also a link to the long description that will go into more detail about what is in the picture.
Section 5.3: Watermarks and Backgrounds
Watermarks and background images should not be used. They will interfere with peoples ability to read the page. Watermarks and backgrounds tend to be very distracting to most readers. It is best to use a background that does not interfere much at all with the text on the slide.
This slide has a background that is very distracting to readers. These should always be avoided when making a presentation.
This background does not interfere with the text and gives the PowerPoint a very professional look.
Section 5.4: Text Boxes, Shapes, and Other Floating Objects
Google Slides differs from Google Docs in one very significant way: floating objects are easy to navigate and make up the very nature of the entire slide. The title field in a slide, for instance, is a text box. Users just needs to hit the tab button to navigate slide and each object will be selected, announced, and the alt text (if present) will be read.
You do not need to add alt text to text boxes, since the contents are directly read by a screen reader, but you must add alt text to other non-text objects, including shapes and icons (and of course, images, graphs, charts, etc.).
Section 5.5: Labels on Charts and Graphs
Data labels are very important for accessibility purposes. If data labels are not present, then readers will have fewer queues to help them read the information. Charts, tables, and graphs can become completely inaccessible without their labels, so always add them.
To add data labels, click on your chart, and click the Chart Elements Plus sign in the top right corner. Choose which data labels you want to use and customize them so they are visible but does not distract from the chart itself.
This table does not have any data labels on it. A person who is color blind may have trouble knowing the differences between the sections and categories.
This table has the data labels. Now a person who has visual disabilities can still know what each category stands for without needing color.