Definition
A situation that arises from difficulty getting/understanding details of images (including images in scanned documents (text with tooltip) A digital document that is created by using a scanner or similar device to capture the text, graphics, and images of a physical document, converting them into a file format such as PDF, JPEG, or PNG. ) due to inadequate instructions on accessing images through mobile assistive technologies and/or a lack of description of image content, context, format, and other attributes.
Factors Leading to the Situation
- Lack of features/functions/items/information: lack of descriptive information
- Inadequate help information: insufficient guidance on mobile screen readers (text with tooltip) A software program that reads textual information through synthesized speech and offers specialized keyboard commands to operate a computer interface. ’ image description options
- Inadequate support: inaccessible document format
- Inadequate support: insufficient visual item description
Guidelines
- Provide a meaningful description for each image.
- Provide instructions on ways to access image descriptions through mobile assistive technologies.
- Ensure that file formats of image items are compatible for screen reader (text with tooltip) A software program that reads textual information through synthesized speech and offers specialized keyboard commands to operate a computer interface. access.
Rationale for Suggesting the above Guidelines
DLs (text with tooltip) The acronym for digital library (DL) include a range of heterogeneous content in images and scanned documents (text with tooltip) A digital document that is created by using a scanner or similar device to capture the text, graphics, and images of a physical document, converting them into a file format such as PDF, JPEG, or PNG. , such as photos, illustrated books, maps, and manuscripts. However, BVI (text with tooltip) The acronym for Blind and Visually Impaired. It refers to BVI users who rely on screen readers to interact with digital libraries (DLs). users often encounter challenges when attempting to access the content of images due to a lack of descriptive information or alt text (text with tooltip) A word or phrase (typically less than 100 characters long) used in the Alt attribute of an image item or graphical interface element that describes its content or function in the context , incompatibility of file formats of image items with screen readers, a lack of guidance for mobile devices’ image description options. It is critical to ensure that image items are accessible with meaningful descriptions or alt text. In addition, accessible file formats should also be provided, contributing to BVI users’ equitable access to the content of images via screen readers (text with tooltip) A software program that reads textual information through synthesized speech and offers specialized keyboard commands to operate a computer interface. .
Techniques and Methods to Comply with a Specific Design Guideline
1.1. Include item descriptions that accurately represent the image content and context in the
metadata
(text with tooltip)
Data that provides information about other data is constructed with structured data to describe and organize resources in the digital environment and enable users to discover and use the content of digital libraries.
.
2.1. Present help information on using image recognition function of screen readers.
2.2. Integrate AI functions in DLs to analyze images.
3.1. Check
PDF
(text with tooltip)
The acronym for portable document format. It is used to display documents in an electronic form.
accessibility tools such as Acrobat accessibility checker and follow their instruction to resolve accessibility issues.
3.2. Use alternative formats (e.g.,
HTML
(text with tooltip)
The acronym for Hyper Text Markup Language – the language in which many web pages are written.
,
CSS
(text with tooltip)
The acronym for Cascading Style Sheets. It is used to format webpage layouts by defining styles for text, tables, and other elements in a webpage’s HTML.
) of image items (e.g., PDF) that are compatible with
screen readers
(text with tooltip)
A software program that reads textual information through synthesized speech and offers specialized keyboard commands to operate a computer interface.
.
Features Suggested for Users
1.1.1. Item descriptions
2.1.1. “
Context-sensitive help
(text with tooltip)
A help function that delivers immediate assistance to the user without the user having to leave the current context they are working in.
”
2.2.1. AI image recognition functions (See example 2.1.1.a1. and 2.1.1.a2.)
3.1.1/3.2.1. Accessible documents (See example 3.2.1.a1. and 3.2.1.a2.)
Examples of Best Practice
2.1.1.a1. Assistive AI technologies (iOS, Android)
Some of the latest applications utilize artificial intelligence (AI) to provide auditory descriptions of objects, text, scenes, and people through BVI (text with tooltip) The acronym for Blind and Visually Impaired. It refers to BVI users who rely on screen readers to interact with digital libraries (DLs). users’ smartphone or tablet cameras. Seeing AI developed by Microsoft and Lookout by Google are the representative applications in the field.
ACC2/COM3 Figure a1. Example of Microsoft Seeing AI and Google Lookout (Image source: Microsoft Seeing AI, Google Lookout (n.d.))
2.1.1.a2. Assistive AI technologies (iOS, Android)
Since BVI users have difficulty obtaining adequate descriptive information about a collection or an item, employing AI applications such as Be My AI can allow BVI (text with tooltip) The acronym for Blind and Visually Impaired. It refers to BVI users who rely on screen readers to interact with digital libraries (DLs). users to receive an A.I.–generated detailed description of any uploaded photo, chat and ask further questions with Be My AI through the app to get all the information and connect sighted volunteers via video call.
ACC2/COM3 Figure a2. Image of Be My AI (Image source: Be My AI, n.d.)
3.2.1.a1. An accessible PDF: Optimize scanned documents
Consider specific options to improve PDF (text with tooltip) The acronym for portable document format. It is used to display documents in an electronic form. viewing and navigation. “ Searchable Image (text with tooltip) An image that keeps the image on top and adds an invisible text layer underneath for searching the file. ” keeps the image on top and adds an invisible text layer underneath for searching the file. “Editable Text and Images” converts the PDF into real text and graphics that you can edit or export.
3.2.1.a2. Publications formatted using PubCSS
A content provider may consider using PubCSS (text with tooltip) A library that provides HTML and CSS stylesheets and templates designed to format academic papers for both print and web. , a demonstration of HTML and CSS, a library of stylesheets and templates for formatting academic papers.
ACC2/COM3 Figure a4. Example of HTML and CSS (Image source: Park, 2019)
Examples of Poor Practice
1.1.1.b1. Difficulty accessing/comprehending images
VoiceOver only read part of the image, saying the word “Armed” (ACC2/COM3 Figure b1). The other details of the image are not accessible, making it difficult for BVI users to fully comprehend what exactly the image represents. “Umm, oh, that’s the image there, but the only thing my VoiceOver said was the word armed.” (ID10-AL)
ACC2/COM3 Figure b1. Screenshot of difficulty accessing/comprehending images
1.1.1.b2. Difficulty accessing/comprehending images
As shown in ACC2/COM3 Figure b2, the participant had difficulty accessing the content of a scanned document due to a lack of alt text (text with tooltip) A word or phrase (typically less than 100 characters long) used in the Alt attribute of an image item or graphical interface element that describes its content or function in the context . “And it is just that it is in the document, I do not know. It is like a document. There is a book that aligns with subset schooling, and it is graphic. It would have been come up for a document, or there should be other alternative text (text with tooltip) A word or phrase (typically less than 100 characters long) used in the Alt attribute of an image item or graphical interface element that describes its content or function in the context such as book or proper alternative text.” (AT29-LH)
ACC2/COM3 Figure b2. Screenshot of difficulty accessing/comprehending images
Resources
- Accessible Technology. (n.d.). Checking pdfs for accessibility.
- Adobe Acrobat. (n.d.). Optimize scanned documents.
- Android Accessibility Help. (n.d.). Use Lookout to explore your surroundings.
- Android Accessibility Help. (n.d.). What’s new with TalkBack 15.0.
- Be my AI. (n.d.). Be My Eyes.
- Apple Support. (n.d.). Get live descriptions of your surroundings with VoiceOver on iPhone.
- Apple Support. (n.d.). Use VoiceOver Recognition on your iPhone or iPad.
- Bigham, J. P., Brady, E. L., Gleason, C., Guo, A., & Shamma, D. A. (2016, May). An uninteresting tour through why our research papers aren’t accessible. In Proceedings of the 2016 CHI conference extended abstracts on human factors in computing systems. 621-631.
- Gleason, C., Carrington, P., Cassidy, C., Morris, M. R., Kitani, K. M., & Bigham, J. P. (2019, May). “It’s almost like they’re trying to hide it”: How user-provided image descriptions have failed to make Twitter accessible. In The World Wide Web Conference. 549-559.
- Hovious, A., & Wang, C. (2024). Hidden inequities of access: Document accessibility in an aggregated database. Information Technology and Libraries, 43(1).
- Nazemi, A., Fernando, C., Murray, I., & McMeekin, David. A. (2018). Access to all components of scanned mathematical documents by vision-impaired students. Assistive Technology, 30(2), 59–65.
- Park, T. (2019). PubCSS: Formatting academic publications in HTML & CSS: Thomas Park. Thomas Park | On web development, interface design, user research, and all the rest.
- Farley, P. (2024). Overview: Generate alt text of images with Image Analysis – Azure AI services.
- Pareddy, S., Guo, A., & Bigham, J. P. (2019). X-Ray: Screenshot accessibility via embedded metadata. In Proceedings of the 21st International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility. 389-395.
- Microsoft Garage. (n.d.). Seeing AI.
- Stangl, A., Verma, N., Fleischmann, K. R., Morris, M. R., & Gurari, D. (2021). Going beyond one-size-fits-all image descriptions to satisfy the information wants of people who are blind or have low vision. In Proceedings of the 23rd International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility. 1-15.
- Turró, M. R. (2008). Are PDF documents accessible?. Information Technology and Libraries, 27(3), 25-43.
- IT@Cornell. (n.d.). Use a Simulator to Check Your PDF for Accessibility.
- WebAIM. (n.d.). PDF Accessibility—Defining PDF Accessibility