Long description alternative text for an image

A long description is a way to provide long alternative text for non-text elements, such as images. Generally, alternative text exceeding 250 characters, which cannot be made more concise without making it less descriptive or meaningful, should have a long description. Examples of suitable use of long descriptions are charts, graphs, maps, infographics, and other complex images.

As with alternative text, long descriptions should be descriptive and meaningful. It should also include all text that is incorporated into the image. A long description should provide visually impaired users with as much information as sighted users would understand from the image.

There are four components to creating a long description in the Waterloo Content Management System (WCMS):

• A web page containing the long description.

• Alternative text that describes the overall image.

• A URL to the web page in the "Long Description URL" field.

• A link to the long description web page for sighted users (recommended).

Create a long description web page

1. From the administration bar, select Workbench, and then select My Dashboard.

2. Navigate to Content types.

3. Next to Web page, select Add.

4. In the Title field, enter the heading of the page where the image will reside, and add "alternative text" at the end.

5. Enter a Description of content.

6. Leave the Place in site hierarchy box unchecked.

7. Select Save.

8. Select the Layout tab.

9. Select +Add block and select Copy text Block.

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10. In the Title field, enter "long description" and uncheck Display title.

11. Add the long description into the text field.

12. Select Add block.

13. Navigate to the Change to: menu and select Published.

14. Select Save Layout.

15. On the page where the image will reside, insert the image and enter alternative text that describes the overall image.

    1. Note: The image must be inserted through a Copy text Block so that it may be linked to the long description Web page.

16. Add the long description to the image.

    1. Select the image in the Copy text Block and then select the Link icon in the editing toolbar.

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    2. Search and select the long description page title.

    3. Select Save.

    4. Select Update.

    5. Select Save layout.