Common Errors | Testing for Accessibility

Testing for Accessibility

For web contributors, these are the most common errors that you can fix and be more proactive about moving forward.

Link text too generic in its current context

What does this mean?

The link text you provided does not identify the link’s purpose. Using general phrases will not help users determine where the link is supposed to go.

Examples of generic link text:

  • Read more
  • Learn more
  • Here
  • Click Here
  • Go
  • This page

Best practices for links »

No alt-text or non-descriptive alt-text

What does this mean?

The image that is being shared on a webpage does not have alternative text or the alternative text is not detailed enough.

Examples of non-descriptive alt-text:

  • Defaulting alt-text to image file name
    • “argyros.jpg”
  • Alt-text is the main topic of the page instead of describing what is going on in the image
    palm tree located between two buildings

    • Bad: Alt-text: “Graduate Admission”
    • Good: Alt-text: “Palm tree located between two buildings”

Best practices for images »

Images with text

What does this mean?

Text that appears within an image is not read by a screen reader. Therefore, you should try to avoid images with text as much as possible.

Examples of images with text:

  • Collage of text logos
  • Flyers to events

Best practices for images »

Images as buttons

What does this mean?

There are some cases where you will be tempted to use an image as a button. This means adding a link to the image that leads to a specific page or document. We usually see this when people want a visual representation of a PDF or flyer on their webpage, but also want to have the option to view the document on a larger scale.

Best practices for images »

Tables used for layout purposes

What does this mean?

Tables are intended for data only. In some cases, we see a table being used to format an image and text so that they appear next to each other. However, tables are not meant for layout purposes. You should be using the proper alignment techniques or an existing widget to ensure that the content you’re sharing is accessible to all.

Best practices for tables »

Go to: Getting Started: Web Accessibility