Which statement best describes the role of alt text in digital resources?

Which statement best describes the role of alt text in digital resources?

• A. Alt text provides decorative information only.
• B. Transcripts spell out video captions.
• C. Alt text allows screen readers to interpret images for accessibility.
• D. Alt text is required for all images.

Answer: (C)

Alt text describes images so screen readers can convey what the image shows or does to someone who cannot see it. This makes digital resources accessible by letting users understand visuals, even when the image can’t be viewed or loaded. For example, alt text on a button with a magnifying glass should say “Search,” so its function is clear to someone using a screen reader. If an image is purely decorative, the alt attribute can be empty so it doesn’t distract the user. The other statements miss the main role: transcripts describe audio content in video, not images, and alt text isn’t required for every image—it should be used to convey meaningful information or function when appropriate.

Alt text describes images so screen readers can convey what the image shows or does to someone who cannot see it. This makes digital resources accessible by letting users understand visuals, even when the image can’t be viewed or loaded. For example, alt text on a button with a magnifying glass should say “Search,” so its function is clear to someone using a screen reader. If an image is purely decorative, the alt attribute can be empty so it doesn’t distract the user. The other statements miss the main role: transcripts describe audio content in video, not images, and alt text isn’t required for every image—it should be used to convey meaningful information or function when appropriate.