How to ensure your images are accessible: 5 tips for Easy Read
- Embrace Access
- Mar 31
- 3 min read
Images are a key feature of Easy Read books. Visual elements are a powerful way to communicate ideas, tell stories, and enhance content. However, without thoughtful accessibility practices, they can exclude individuals with visual impairments, low literacy, and disabilities impacting reading and comprehension.
Ensuring your images are accessible to everyone is crucial for Easy Read documents. Here are 5 tips to help make your images more accessible:
1. Use Good Colour Contrast
Colour contrast plays a vital role in making sure text and important visual elements are distinguishable, especially for individuals with colour blindness or low vision. When choosing colours, ensure that there is enough contrast between the background and the text or important visual elements.
A high contrast ratio makes it easier for users to differentiate and understand the content. Tools like the WebAIM Contrast Checker can help you evaluate the contrast ratio and ensure it meets accessibility standards.
Tip: Use black or dark text on a light background, or light text on a dark background to achieve a high-contrast ratio.
2. Remove Decorative Elements
Decorative images may look attractive but can be distracting or confusing for individuals using screen readers. These images don’t always add value to the content and can clutter the user’s experience. When decorative elements are necessary, ensure they’re properly labeled with a “null” or empty alt text (alt=""). This way, screen readers will ignore them and focus on the meaningful content.
Tip: Ask yourself, “Does this image serve a purpose, or is it just for decoration?” If it’s purely for aesthetic purposes, it might be better to remove it or mark it as decorative.
3. Show Concrete Concepts
Images that represent concrete ideas or concepts are easier to understand and relate to. For example, showing a photo of a fast delivery truck to explain "fast delivery" is more accessible than using abstract imagery such as an image of a cheetah. When selecting images, aim for clear, literal representations of the content to reduce ambiguity and improve understanding.
Tip: Avoid abstract illustrations when possible. Use photos or illustrations that directly depict the concepts you're discussing.
4. Focus on the Verb or Action
Images with action can be much more engaging and informative. Instead of simply showing static images of objects, consider depicting actions or verbs. For example, instead of an image of a book, show a person reading it. This provides context to the image and helps individuals with cognitive or learning disabilities learn what to do.
Tip: If the image features an action (like cooking, running, or learning), try to focus on the active moments rather than static ones. This will help provide context and enrich the viewer's understanding.
5. Avoid Words in Images for Easy Read users
Using text within images can be a barrier for people who don't read or people who have less confidence accessing text alone. Even if the text is large and easy to read, it may not be accessible to users with visual impairments or those relying on assistive technology. If you must include text within an image, make sure it’s also provided in the surrounding content. This ensures that everyone can access the information.
Tip: Whenever possible, keep the text outside of images or provide an alternative textual description in the form of captions or alt text.
Conclusion
Making images accessible is not only about adhering to guidelines but also about creating a more inclusive environment for everyone. By focusing on colour contrast, removing unnecessary decorative elements, showing concrete concepts, focusing on actions, and avoiding words in images, you can significantly enhance the accessibility of your content. Remember, the goal is to make your messages clearer and more understandable, so all users can engage with your content seamlessly.