Introduction In a recent enlightening Axschat podcast, Caroline Desrosiers, the founder of Scribley, shared her insights into the evolving world of digital accessibility, mainly focusing on Alt text and its crucial role in content accessibility.
The Genesis of Scribley Caroline’s journey began in digital publishing, where she first encountered the challenges of image descriptions in accessibility. Driven by a blend of passion for writing and a familial legacy in education, she founded Scribley to tackle the prevalent issue of poor-quality Alt text across the web. Her mission was clear: to ensure content accessibility by providing Alt text services and guiding organizations in improving their overall approach to accessible content.
The Challenges of Alt Text Despite its growing discussion in accessibility circles, implementing effective Alt text remains a struggle for many organizations. This issue, as Caroline points out, often stems from workflow complications rather than the writing process itself. Her goal with Scribley extends beyond crafting accurate descriptions to streamlining these workflows, ensuring Alt text becomes an integral, seamless part of content creation.
AI and Alt Text: A Balancing Act Debra Ruh highlighted the nuanced role of AI in this domain. While AI has the potential to simplify processes, it often falls short of understanding the context and purpose behind images, a gap that human intervention crucially fills. Caroline’s stance is firm – AI can assist but not replace the human touch in creating meaningful Alt text.
A Multilingual Approach to Accessibility The conversation took an interesting turn when Antonio Vieira Santos raised the importance of multi-language Alt text, acknowledging the diversity of web users. Caroline revealed her focus on this aspect, considering the upcoming EU directives and the need for content to be accessible in multiple languages.
Embedding Alt Text in Image Metadata A significant breakthrough discussed was the embedding of Alt text in image metadata, a solution Caroline actively championed. This advancement means that image descriptions can travel with the image file, reducing redundancy and preserving the original creator’s intent.
The Future of Alt Text and Accessibility Caroline envisions a future where organizations hold themselves accountable for the quality of their Alt text, treating it with the same seriousness as any other published content. This shift would ensure content is ‘born accessible,’ a mantra that resonates throughout the interview.
The Axschat podcast with Caroline Desrosiers unveils the complexities and advancements in Alt text and digital accessibility. It’s a testament to the ongoing efforts to make the web an inclusive space for everyone, regardless of their abilities or language. Scribley, under Caroline’s leadership, stands at the forefront of this meaningful change.
