ARCHIVED - Text Equivalent Repository

Table of Contents

• 1.0 Introduction
• 2.0 General rules for text equivalents
• 3.0 CLF-related Web page elements
  • 3.1 Institutional signature
  • 3.2 "Canada" Wordmark
  • 3.3 "Français" / "English" common menu bar link (bilingual sites only)
  • 3.4 "Avertissement" / "Notice" common menu bar link (unilingual sites only)
  • 3.5 "Home" / "Accueil" common menu bar link
  • 3.6 "Contact Us" / "Contactez-nous" common menu bar link
  • 3.7 "Help" / "Aide" common menu bar link
  • 3.8 "Search" / "Recherche" common menu bar link
  • 3.9 "canada.gc.ca" common menu bar link
  • 3.10 "Top of Page" / "Haut de la page" link
  • 3.11 Skip header links (normally invisible)
    • 3.11.1 Skip to main content link
    • 3.11.2 Skip to primary navigation link
• 4.0 Common Web page elements
  • 4.1 Printer-friendly version / Print current page links
    • 4.1.1 Printer-friendly version link
    • 4.1.2 Print current page link
  • 4.2 Next page / Previous page links
    • 4.2.1 Next page link
    • 4.2.2 Previous page link
  • 4.3 New browser windows (Pop-Up windows)
  • 4.4 Email this page links
  • 4.5 Images used for decoration and/or visual formatting

1.0 Introduction

Text equivalents are important for enhancing the accessibility of images, links and other Web page elements. To further enhance accessibility, the text equivalents used for Web page elements should be as consistent as possible.

It is important that text equivalents be consistent and convey the appropriate information. Text equivalents should clearly and concisely express the same information as a non-text element including function, destination, role and textual information. If a non-text element is functional (e.g., a link), then the role and purpose of the element needs to be conveyed as well.

2.0 General rules for text equivalents

Specifying the appropriate text for an alt attribute or any other text equivalent can be difficult. It may not always be clear what information should be included. It may also be difficult to determine whether too little or too much information is being provided.

The following questions can be helpful in deciding the appropriate text for a text equivalent:

• Is there text included in the non-text element? If so, then it should be included in the text equivalent.
• Is this non-text element a link, button or action? If so, then the purpose of the non-text element should be included rather than describing the appearance of the non-text element (e.g., a red button for submitting information should have a text equivalent of "submit information" rather than "red button").
• Are words such as "image", "graphic", "picture" or "image" being used in the text equivalent? The text equivalent for a non-text element should generally not include "graphic", "picture" or "image" as part of the text unless it is necessary to describe the purpose of the non-text element (e.g., "Photo of John Henry").
• Can the text specified for the text equivalent use less text yet still convey the same information?
• Does the non-text element include a mathematical equation or scientific notation? If so, MathML should be used.

3.0 CLF-related Web page elements

3.1 Institutional signature

Language of Web page	Visual representation	Type	Text
English		alt (alt="")	alt="English institution name" (e.g., alt="Government of Canada")
French		alt (alt="")	alt="French institution name" (e.g., alt="Gouvernement du Canada")
Bilingual (e.g., Welcome Page) - Institution headquartered outside Quebec		alt (alt="")	alt="English institution name | French institution name" (e.g., alt="Government of Canada | Gouvernement du Canada")
Bilingual (e.g., Welcome Page)  - Institution headquartered in Quebec		alt (alt="")	alt="French institution name | English institution name" (e.g., alt="Gouvernement du Canada | Government of Canada")

3.2 "Canada" Wordmark

Language of Web page	Visual representation	Type	Text
English		alt (alt="")	alt="Symbol of the Government of Canada"
French		alt (alt="")	alt="Symbole du gouvernement du Canada"
Bilingual (e.g., Welcome Page) - Institution headquartered outside Quebec		alt (alt="")	alt="Symbol of the Government of Canada | Symbole du gouvernement du Canada"
Bilingual (e.g., Welcome Page)  - Institution headquartered in Quebec		alt (alt="")	alt="Symbole du gouvernement du Canada | Symbol of the Government of Canada"

3.10 "Top of Page" / "Haut de la page" link

Language of Web page	Visual representation	Type	Text
English	Top of Page	Title (title="")	title="Return to Top of Page"
French	Haut de la page	Title (title="")	title="Retourner au haut de la page"

4.0 Common Web page elements

Top of Page

4.3 New browser windows (Pop-Up windows)

To enhance accessibility, an icon should also be included to demonstrate that the link will open in a new window. An empty value should be provided for the image alt attribute. The following is an example of an icon that can be used:

The code for the icon would be as follows:

<a href="#" title=" How to complete this form (Opens in a new window)">How to complete this form (Opens in a new window) <img src="nw.img" alt="" /></a>

Language of Web page	Type	Text
English	Link text	<link text> (Opens in a new window) (e.g., Instructions for completing this form (Opens in a new window))
English	Title (title="")	title="<link text> (Opens in a new window)" (e.g., title="How to complete this form (Opens in a new window)")
French	Link text	<link text> (Ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre) (e.g., Instructions pour compléter cette formulaire (Ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre))
French	Title (title="")	title="<link text> (Ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre)" (e.g., title="Instructions pour compléter cette formulaire (Ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre")