An alt tag is actually an attribute - something inside
of an image tag that tells the user what the content of an image actually
is. Here is an example.
Notice that on a PC when you move your mouse over the
image, it describes the image: 24 years of One-Course-At-A-Time.
Why should I use alt tags? Well, there are a few good reasons.
Reason #1: Not everyone uses image based
browsers. It's true. There are some
people who can't see all of our cool graphics. Many people in the world
don't have as fast of an Internet connection as those of us on campus.
For them, download time can be a real pain! The user also could be using
some type of accessibility program - such as a speech reader or refreshable
Braille browser. Both of which do not show graphics, but will display
the alt text instead.
Reason #2: We're all human, and accidents
happen. If you were to rename a
file and forget to change the HTML, the image won't show up anymore. Ever
deleted something that you didn't realize was still in use? If that happens,
the user will at least know what was supposed to be there.
What to put the alt tag in for:
Pictures - a short description of picture content
Image Maps - include an alt for each area of your image map, like
the header at the top of this page.
Bullets - if you used an image instead of a bullet for something like
this list, use a "*" for your alt.
Spacer images - Use a blank alt tag (alt=""). Otherwise, the image
will show up in a text browser like this.[spacer.gif] By using a blank
alt, it won't show up at all.
Contact Information
Webteam
Cornell College
600 First Street West
Mt Vernon, IA 52314
