Queensland Digital Inclusion Festival — Celebrating inclusive communication & digital access for all

Learn more → Learn more →

Why This Matters

Images play a crucial role in web content, but for users with visual impairments, they can present significant barriers. When images lack proper accessibility features, these users may miss important information entirely.

Accessible imagery benefits everyone—not just those using assistive technologies. It improves SEO, enhances mobile experiences, and creates more robust, user-friendly content.

  • Screen reader users rely on alt text to understand images
  • Low vision users benefit from clear, high-contrast visuals
  • Cognitive disabilities require simple, unambiguous imagery
  • Slow connections need descriptive alternatives
Group of five diverse people collaborating with laptops and digital devices in a bright modern workspace, representing inclusive technology design and accessible digital experiences for users of all abilities

Core Principles

Alt Text is Essential

Every image needs descriptive alt text that conveys its meaning and purpose to users who cannot see it.

Purpose Matters

Consider why an image exists—is it decorative, informative, or functional? Each requires a different approach.

Test Thoroughly

Use screen readers and accessibility tools to verify your images work for all users, not just sighted ones.

Close-up of hands using keyboard with screen reader assistive technology, demonstrating how blind or visually impaired users navigate digital content through audio feedback and keyboard commands

Alt Text & Screen Readers

Screen readers are software that reads aloud the content of web pages. When they encounter an image, they announce the alt text to the user. This makes alt text critical for navigation and understanding.

✓ Good Alt Text

"A bar chart showing quarterly revenue growth, with Q4 reaching $2.5 million, a 15% increase from Q3"

✗ Poor Alt Text

"chart.png" or "image of chart"

Charts & Complex Visuals

Infographics, charts, and graphs present unique accessibility challenges. They often contain dense information that needs to be conveyed through multiple methods.

Computer screen displaying multiple data visualizations including bar charts, line graphs, and pie charts with vibrant colors, demonstrating the importance of providing alternative text descriptions for complex statistical information

Best Practices for Complex Visuals

  • Provide detailed descriptions — Summarize the key trends and data points in alt text
  • Use data tables — Offer the raw data in an accessible table format
  • Consider audio descriptions — For highly complex visuals, provide audio narration
  • Ensure color contrast — Don't rely on color alone to convey information
  • Test with screen readers — Verify the description makes sense without seeing the visual

"Remember: The goal isn't to describe every pixel, but to convey the meaning and information the visual provides."

Testing Your Images

Modern classroom with teacher assisting diverse students using tablets and digital devices, illustrating the importance of testing accessibility features in educational technology to ensure all learners can participate equally

How to Test

Testing is the only way to ensure your images are truly accessible. Here are practical methods to verify your work:

Screen Reader Testing

Use NVDA (Windows), VoiceOver (Mac), or JAWS to navigate your content and hear how images are described.

Browser Extensions

Tools like WAVE, axe DevTools, and Lighthouse can identify missing alt text and accessibility issues.

Keyboard Navigation

Ensure users can tab through all interactive images and understand their purpose without a mouse.

Ready to Make Your Images Accessible?

Accessible imagery isn't a nice-to-have—it's essential. Start implementing these practices today and create a more inclusive web for everyone.

Get Started with Accessibility Get Started with Accessibility