[Athen] feedback on alt text language for Word table

[Lisa Brandt]

For this kind of thing, I usually try to make it a little less wordy (ha  
ha). I think you can relay the same information but make it more compact,  
like so:

Alt text: "Table with 4 columns, 2 header rows, and 7 data rows. First  
header row: first two columns blank; header 'Data Source' spans last two  
columns. Second data row: Rank, Manufacturer, Data Source - Gartner, Data  
Source - International Data Corporation (IDC)."

I try to make things as compact as possible and get the meat of it up  
front, since anyone using a screen reader would likely be skipping to the  
next thing as soon as they hear enough to know if it's something they want  
to read in detail. But people who actually have to read the stuff might  
have a different opinion than I do (smiley face).

If I were doing this as a description rather than alt text, I might  
present it in more of a hierarchical outline rather than adhering to the  
format of the table.

Lisa


On Fri, 21 Aug 2015 09:36:45 -0700, Howard Kramer <hkramer at ahead.org>  
wrote:


> Hello All:

>

> I'm developing a MOOC with a couple of colleagues on Inclusive eLearning  

> and I have a section on alt text for Word >Tables. I've noticed some  

> examples of alt text for tables which are very minimal in the  

> information provided - basically >just the structure of the table and if  

> there were merged cells. Do you think this example provides too much  

> information >in the alt text?

> Alt text: “This is a 4 column by 9 row table with 2 header rows and 7  

> data rows. The first row has one header for Data >Source which spans  

> column 3 and 4 above the names of the two research firms in row 2. The  

> second row headers are >Rank, Manufacturer and the names of the two  

> research firms: Gartner and International Data Corporation.”

>

>> I will also recommend that the first 2 rows be designated as repeating  

>> header rows in Word and will add a "true" caption on top.

>

>

>

>> 	

>> 	

>> Data Source



>> Rank	

>> Manufacturer	

>> Gartner	

>> International Data Corporation >(IDC)



>> 1	

>> Samsung	

>> 24.6%	

>> 24.5%



>> 2	

>> Nokia	

>> 13.9%	

>> 13.8%



>> 3	

>> Apple Inc.	

>> 8.3%	

>> 8.4%



>> 4	

>> LG	

>> 3.8%	

>> 3.8%



>> 5	

>> ZTE	

>> 3.3%	

>> -



>> 5	

>> Huawei	

>> -	

>> 3.0%



>> 	

>> Others	

>> 34.0%	

>> 46.4%



>

>      Top Five Worldwide Total Mobile Phone Vendors, 2013

>

>

>

>> Thanks in advance.

> -Howard

>

>

> --Howard Kramer

> Conference Coordinator

> Accessing Higher Ground

> 303-492-8672

> cell: 720-351-8668

>

> AHEAD Association of Higher Education and Disability

>




-- 
Lisa Brandt, PCC Disability Services
Accessibility Technician
Alternate Media Formats Technician
971-722-4366
SY CC 260
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