[Athen] feedback on alt text language for Word table

[Howard Kramer]

Hi Karen,

This is for Word.

-Howard

On Fri, Aug 21, 2015 at 11:52 AM, Karlen Communications <
info at karlencommunications.com> wrote:


> Are we talking Word or HTML?

>

> In Word, a caption above the table would provide the description, for

> example, "Ranking of research manufacturers." Alt Text for Word tables is

> used to provide information on any structural oddities or issues with the

> table...things like merged or split cells.

>

> I agree, it should be concise. Keep in mind too that columns are letters

> and Rowan are numbers just as with Excel. Those are the coordinates we hear.

>

> Cheers, Karen

>

> Sent from my iPad

>

> On Aug 21, 2015, at 1:41 PM, Lisa Brandt <lisa.brandt1 at pcc.edu> wrote:

>

> 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 <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samsung_Electronics>

>

> 24.6%

>

> 24.5%

>

> 2

>

> Nokia <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nokia>

>

> 13.9%

>

> 13.8%

>

> 3

>

> Apple Inc. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Inc.>

>

> 8.3%

>

> 8.4%

>

> 4

>

> LG <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LG_Electronics>

>

> 3.8%

>

> 3.8%

>

> 5

>

> ZTE <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZTE>

>

> 3.3%

>

> -

>

> 5

>

> Huawei <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/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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>



-- 
Howard Kramer
Conference Coordinator
Accessing Higher Ground
303-492-8672
cell: 720-351-8668

AHEAD Association of Higher Education and Disability
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