Decorative Images - Best Practices in Storyline
Nov 14, 2023
I'm delving into the intricacies of ALT text, particularly concerning screen readers, and I recently gained access to NVDA for testing our courses. However, I'm encountering conflicting advice on best practices for decorative images in Storyline, encompassing both images and graphic elements like lines and shapes.
I'm looking for clarification on the distinctions between the following options within the Accessibility menu for any given image or shape element: unchecking the "object is visible to accessibility tools" checkbox VERSUS leaving the ALT text field blank or entering double quotes ("") into the text field.
- What sets these options apart?
- Should I consistently uncheck the box for decorative elements?
- Is it preferable to keep the ALT field blank or insert double quotes ("")? (I want to avoid it reading the file name)
- What function does the checkbox perform that a blank ALT field cannot?
In the Focus Order panel for a specific slide:
- What is the effect of deleting decorative elements from the focus order using the trashcan button?
- What happens if I leave the ALT text column blank or enter double quotes ("") within?
It appears the features in the Accessibility settings might be redundant or overlap with the functionality of the Focus Order panel....the Storyline interface lacks detailed descriptions of each option's impact so I'm at a loss here.
I've observed that Rise treats a blank ALT text field as indicative of a decorative image, suggesting it will be disregarded by the reader. According to an update log from October 4, 2023, "When you leave alt text for an image blank, it’s marked as decorative and ignored by screen readers."
Contrary to this, an article (https://community.articulate.com/articles/how-to-write-alt-text-for-the-4-most-common-types-of-images-in-e-learning) advises unchecking the "object is visible to accessibility tools" checkbox for Storyline. However, the linked w3 article (https://www.w3.org/WAI/tutorials/images/decorative/) establishes that double quotes ("") serve as the standard method to signal to screen readers that an element should be ignored.
1 Reply
Hello Daniel!
I'm happy to clarify your alt text options in Storyline 360.
You have three ways to add alt text in Storyline 360. media library, focus order window, or size and position window
For decorative images, you have two options.
Uncheck "object is visible to accessibility tools" or remove it from the focus order window.
Entering double quotes does NOT prevent the screen reader from reading the object.
Yes.
If you leave the object visible with the alt text field blank, screen readers will read the object's name as it appears in the timeline.
If you enter double quotes, screen readers will read this as the alt text.
The checkbox determines if a screen reader reads an item.
This prevents the screen reader from reading the object.
With the alt text field blank, screen readers will read the object's name as it appears in the timeline.
Double quotes will be treated like text and read by a screen reader. (the alt="" is HTML code, but we do not require you to write code for your courses)
This accessibility setting does overlap but allows you to address it where you work. I like using the focus order window because I can easily remove decorative items and provide the correct alt text.
I hope that helps. Please let us know if you have any additional questions.