Techniques for WCAG 2.0

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# F30: Failure of Success Criterion 1.1.1 and 1.2.1 due to using text alternatives that are not alternatives (e.g., filenames or placeholder text)

## Applicability

Applies to all technologies.

This failure relates to:

- Success Criterion 1.1.1 (Non-text Content)
  - How to Meet 1.1.1 (Non-text Content)
  - Understanding Success Criterion 1.1.1 (Non-text Content)
- Success Criterion 1.2.1 (Audio-only and Video-only (Prerecorded))
  - How to Meet 1.2.1 (Audio-only and Video-only (Prerecorded))
  - Understanding Success Criterion 1.2.1 (Audio-only and Video-only (Prerecorded))

## Description

This describes a failure condition for all techniques involving text alternatives. If the text in the "text alternative" cannot be used in place of the non-text content without losing information or function then it fails because it is not, in fact, an alternative to the non-text content.

## Examples

### Failure Example 1

Examples of text that are not text alternatives include:

- placeholder text such as " " or "spacer" or "image" or "picture" etc that are put into the 'text alternative' location on images or pictures.

- programming references that do not convey the information or function of the non-text content such as "picture 1", "picture 2" or "0001", "0002" or "Intro#1", "Intro#2".

- filenames that are not valid text alternatives in their own right such as "Oct.jpg" or "Chart.jpg" or "sales\\oct\\top3.jpg"

## Resources

No resources available for this technique.

## Related Techniques

(none currently listed)

## Tests

### Procedure

1. Check each text alternative to see if it is not actually a text alternative for the non-text content.

### Expected Results

- If step #1 is true then this failure condition applies and content fails the Success Criterion.

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