"alt tags", etc

[Stacy Pober]

> Remember, I'm not "really" a techie, so could someone tell me what "alt
> tags" are, so that I know what I'm asking for?

ALT tags appear within IMG SRC tags to specify text that should be 
displayed when the image is NOT loaded.  For example, in a page with the 
tags: 

<IMG SRC="elsie.gif" ALT="Holstein Cow">

Either the user will see the actual gif image on the page, or 
ALTernatively, if they have their images turned off in the browser, (or 
have a text-based browser such as Lynx)  they will see the outline box 
where the image would have appeared and the legend "Holstein Cow" inside 
of the box.   

It's nice to provide ALT tags for almost all images (the exceptions 
would probably be for small spacer gifs, because the text will not be 
readable there anyhow).   But when the images double as links, the ALT 
text is virtually a necessity if you want people using slow modems or 
software for the visually disabled to be able to use a site that has 
graphics as links.  The screen-reading software used by the visually 
impaired cannot interpret the graphics, and often sites use graphics as 
essential navigation links in the site.  

An example of a site which does not provide ALT links and thus is unusable 
for people who do not have graphical access is UMI's ProQuest Direct site. 
If your library subscribes to this service, turn off graphics in Netscape, 
clear the disk and memory cache (to get rid of the saved images)  and try 
to  use their product.  A novice user would not be ableo to select a 
database and begin, because the "continue" option is only shown with an 
image that has no "ALT" tag.  

I mentioned this to several UMI reps and wrote them an email about it.  
They did not respond.   I wonder about ADA compliance issues when I 
see this kind of site design.  
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Stacy Pober                   mailto: spober at manhattan.edu
Information Alchemist         http://www.manhattan.edu/library/
Manhattan College Libraries   Voice: 718-862-7166
Riverdale, NY 10471           Fax:   718-862-7995
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