Your Images Need a Voice. What Is Alt Text?
Every website image can include a hidden text description. You can't see it on the page — but a screen reader can. Screen readers are software that read web content out loud for people who are blind or have low vision.
When a screen reader reaches an image, it looks for this “hidden description” — called Alternative Text, or Alt Text — and reads it aloud. If an image has no alt text, the screen reader either says the word "Image" and moves on or reads the file name, which often sounds like: "img-underscore-04-23-final-FINAL.jpg."
Including alt text helps avoid the ambiguity created by the latter scenarios.
Why This Matters
Missing alt text is one of the most common — and fixable — failures on university websites.
More importantly: students who rely on screen readers are navigating Rowan websites right now. Those students miss out on vital information when an image contains important details — a chart, a photo of an event, a headshot with a name — but lacks a description. Alt text ensures every visitor gets the full picture.
What To Do
- Write a clear, complete sentence. Describe what the image shows and why it matters in context. Example: "Dean Maria Torres speaks at the 2024 College of Engineering graduation ceremony."
- Include relevant details. If the image shows a person, an action, a location, or data — include that information.
- Match the description to the page's purpose. An image of a lab might be described differently on a research page than on a student life page. Always consider page context when writing alt text.
- Mark decorative images as “decorative.” If an image is purely visual — a gold divider line, a background shape, an ornamental banner — check the "Decorative" checkbox in Cascade or, if no such checkbox appears, write “decorative” in the alt text space. This tells the screen reader to skip it entirely, which is the correct behavior.
What To Avoid
- Don't leave the alt text field blank on a meaningful image. Blank alt text on a non-decorative image is an accessibility failure.
- Don't start with "Image of…" or "Photo of…" The screen reader announces image assets as images, so your alt text can jump straight to description.
- Don't stuff it with keywords. Alt text like "student college Glassboro New Jersey Rowan University campus" is not a description — it's a keyword dump. It fails both accessibility and SEO standards.
- Don't copy the file name. Names like "IMG_4492_web_FINAL.jpg" are meaningless to a person listening to a screen reader.
- Don't use the decorative checkbox on meaningful images. If the image tells a story or gives information, it needs a real description.
How To Add Alt Text in Cascade
- Using Alternative Text fields: When you insert or select an image, look for the field labeled "Alternative Text." Type your description there.
- Inside the Text Editor (WYSIWYG): If you are placing an image directly inside a block of text, click the "Insert/Edit Image" icon in the toolbar. A dialog box will open. Look for the "Image Description" field. That is your alt text field — type your description there.
- Decorative Images: If the image serves a decorative function alone (and contains no real information), check the "Decorative" checkbox instead of writing a description or, if no such checkbox appears, write “decorative” in the alt text space. Cascade will handle the rest automatically — no further action needed.
Rowan Resources & Next Steps
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