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Accessible Images: Basics of Alt Text & Decorative Images

If you can click it, you can fix it.

Location

Online

Date & Time

September 18, 2025, 12:00 pm – 12:30 pm

Description

Have you ever wondered what makes an image accessible -- or when an image doesn’t need a description at all? Are your course graphics helping all students engage with your content?

Learn the fundamentals of writing effective alt text for instructional images. This session includes real-world examples, common do’s and don’ts, and hands-on practice opportunities to strengthen your skills. Whether you’re new to alt text or looking to refine your approach, this session will help you improve the accessibility of your digital materials.

Session Objectives
  • Define alternative text and when to use it
  • Identify best practices for writing descriptive alt text
  • Practice writing alt text for instructional images
We’ll also explore how AI tools can help generate alt text suggestions and how to revise them for accuracy and clarity. A follow-up workshop will focus on complex images or charts.

This session will be facilitated by Dr. Mariann Hawken, Director of Instructional Technology. Open to all faculty and instructional staff. No prior accessibility experience needed.

To RSVP for the event, please click “Going” in the myUMBC event and be sure to add it to your calendar! Registered participants will also receive a calendar invitation from the event host at least one week before the event.

At least 5 registrations are needed for this session to proceed as scheduled. The session will be recorded if two or more people attend and the link will be distributed to everyone who registered.

JOINING THE SESSION

This webinar will take place in a Google Meet virtual conference room. Enter the webinar up to 15 minutes before the start time. Visit the myUMBC Event post and select the "Join Online Event" button to join the Google Meet session.

Prior to the Event

  1. For the best viewing experience, we recommend using Chrome, Brave, or Firefox, preferably the most recent updates to those browsers. Closing any unnecessary browser tabs will help conserve your bandwidth.  

  2. If this is your first time joining one of our webinars, please review the requirements to use Google Meet. Learn how to connect your audio & video, change/blur your background, and use reactions. You can also review the accessibility support including live captions. 

Tags:
A human figure with outstretched arms inside a circle of two curved arrows, suggesting movement. Below the figure are two words: digital accessibility.

Event Registration

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