# Alternative text

Canonical page: https://districtproof.io/resources/glossary/alternative-text

A text alternative that conveys the purpose or information of meaningful non-text content.

By [Nilesh Gadekar, Founder](https://districtproof.io/about#founder) · Last reviewed November 4, 2026.

## How to use this term in a district project

Write an alternative that reflects the image’s role in context. A useful description of a meaningful chart differs from a label for a functional icon. Decorative content has a different treatment. When the image conveys complex information, the reader may need a fuller text explanation outside a short description.

Illustrative district scenario

### A district example

A budget chart illustrates a comparison discussed in a board packet. A reader needs the important comparison, with any necessary details provided in an appropriate text form.

## A useful review question

What information or action would a person miss if the image were unavailable?

## Continue with a practical guide

[Explore the related DistrictProof guide or service](https://districtproof.io/resources/pdf-accessibility-checklist), or return to the [full accessibility glossary](https://districtproof.io/resources/glossary). Technical criteria and legal obligations should be checked against the applicable primary references and the agreed review scope.

## Describe the purpose of the image

Alternative text conveys the information or function of meaningful non-text content. For district staff, the first question is what a reader needs from this image in this location. The answer may differ when the same image appears in a fundraising brochure, a board presentation and a program application. A label that merely identifies the file format or says that an image exists will rarely answer that question. Start with the communication goal, then choose a text alternative that fits the surrounding content and the task the reader is trying to complete.

## District example: a proposed budget chart

Imagine a fictional board packet with a chart comparing planned transportation spending across three years. The business office should identify the comparison the chart is intended to communicate. The reviewer can then include a concise description and connect readers to the relevant figures in a nearby table or fuller explanation. If the packet only says that a bar chart is present, a reader misses the budgeting point. If the description contains every visual detail without explaining the comparison, it can become cumbersome. The district content owner is best placed to confirm the financial meaning.

## Keep simple, functional and complex uses distinct

A school logo, an instructional diagram and an image used as a link serve different purposes. A decorative border does not need the same treatment as a diagram explaining emergency pickup. For a functional image, the text should support understanding the action. For complex information, a short image description may need a longer explanation in the document itself. Consider where that explanation belongs and whether all readers would benefit from seeing it. A good authoring workflow asks these questions while the content is being created, before the document reaches the remediation queue.

## Avoid asking a reviewer to guess

Send the original chart data, the intended takeaway and the responsible content contact with difficult images. An accessibility reviewer can improve the technical treatment and wording, but should not infer an unrecorded district decision from a photograph or diagram. If the source is unclear, log a content question. Check the approved description in the final exported file and review it within the reading sequence. A description that is correct in isolation can be confusing if the image is encountered before the section it depends on or after an unrelated attachment.

## Maintain descriptions across new editions

Store approved descriptions alongside the maintained source rather than leaving them only inside a repaired PDF. If a chart changes, its description needs another content review. During acceptance, compare meaningful images with their approved text alternatives and record any remaining content decisions. For procurement, include a sample containing the kinds of charts, maps and diagrams your district regularly publishes. Ask who drafts descriptions, who approves factual meaning and how complex-image explanations are priced. These steps make alternative text a repeatable part of publishing rather than a last-minute request for someone to fill in an empty field.

[W3C WAI: Images tutorial](https://www.w3.org/WAI/tutorials/images/)