Adding alt text and alternative versions

If you have always uploaded subject content in PDF format, it can feel daunting to change. But the truth is that all non-text content needs a text alternative – including images, videos, and text ‘hidden’ in a PDF document. The task might seem large at first, but after a while it becomes second nature.

Key points:

  • It’s always possible to publish some subject content in Word, PowerPoint, or straight in the LMS.
  • It’s also simple to add text alternatives (‘alt texts’) in PowerPoint and the LMS.
  • SparkAI and Copilot can help – but be careful where you upload intellectual property or confidential information.

Watch the full video with Dr Rachel Woodlock as she explains how her thinking and practice has changed.

  • RACHEL: Hi, I'm Doctor Rachel Woodlock and I'm a lecturer in Islamic Studies at the Asia Institute in the Faculty of Arts.

    Last year I saw an article explaining how some students can't access information in images or PDF files. They need content that can be read by assistive technology, so it's really important they have text alternatives for images and HTML pages or Word documents instead of PDFs.

    I wanted to make my content accessible, but I was a bit worried at first. I dreaded the idea of converting my entire back catalogue of teaching material. But student equity is really important, so I thought the best first step to get going was rather than converting my back catalogue, instead I would start right where I was right then and there and move forward.

    I uploaded PowerPoints for my lecture slides and used Word docs for excerpts instead of PDFs. I also started popping in text alternatives for new images. In PowerPoint I add alt texts by right clicking images and select 'View alt text', and in the LMS I add them by clicking on the little Ally speedometer on the LMS page.

    It's become so fast it's like second nature now. If I see the little red dial on the Ally speedometer, I know there's something I may have accidentally missed, but that's actually becoming quite rare now.

    I have found that GenAI tools can help. For anything proprietary, I use Spark AI to convert PDFs to text. Spark can also convert tables to a more accessible format like a list or a paragraph. Spark may not handle images yet, but as long as the image isn't confidential or proprietary, I can still upload it to another AI tool and ask for a draft alt text.

    Now if a low vision student does start, they'll have access to content straight away without needing to wait for disability services. I also know that some neurodivergent students struggle with long PDF documents that don't have a table of contents, and students with slow Internet connections depend on alt texts, so it helps a range of students.

    I'm really glad I made this change because it helps balance the scales for students who otherwise can't access my teaching materials.

Tips for writing useful alt texts

  • Be concise. Aim for 1 or 2 sentences.
  • Describe the information you want students to obtain from the image.
  • You don’t usually need to describe each component of the image – just the relevant features.
  • If the image forms part of an exercise or quiz, you can describe the relevant visual features without interpretation.

If you’re getting stuck, pretend you’re describing the image to a person sitting opposite you and describe the image aloud. You can even use dictation tools to transcribe your verbal description.

Relevant support resources

This page was last updated on 17 Apr 2026.

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