HTML 5 Image Description Extension; New Web Accessibility Tutorial on Images

Submitted by Geoff Freed

Following last month’s ruling on the inclusion of @longdesc in HTML5, the W3C has moved the HTML5 Image Description Extension forward to Proposed Recommendation status.  See http://www.w3.org/TR/html-longdesc/ for the document itself.  The implementation report is also available.  Note that the comment period for this extension specification ends on January 16, 2015.  Assuming no further objections are received, the W3C may publish the final recommendation shortly thereafter.

Although not new for December, back in September the WAI announced the availability of its Web Accessibility Tutorial on Images. The tutorial offers users basic guidance on how to write effective text alternatives for informative, decorative or functional images.  Other tutorials are available at http://www.w3.org/WAI/tutorials/.