Techniques for WCAG 2.0

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# F72: Failure of Success Criterion 1.1.1 due to using ASCII art without providing a text alternative

## Applicability

Any technology.

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)

## Description

The objective of this failure condition is to avoid the use of ASCII art when a text alternative is not provided. Although ASCII art is implemented as a character string, its meaning comes from the pattern of glyphs formed by a visual presentation of that string, not from the text itself. Therefore ASCII art is non-text content and requires a text alternative. Text alternatives, or links to them, should be placed near the ASCII art in order to be associated with it.

## Examples

### Failure Example 1: ASCII Art chart without a text alternative

The following ASCII art chart lacks a text alternative and therefore does not meet Success Criterion 1.1.1. Note this failure example does in fact cause this page to fail, but you may skip over the example.

Example Code:

    <pre>
      %   __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
    100 |             *                             |
     90 |                *  *                       |
     80 |          *           *                    |
     70 |             @           *                 |
     60 |          @                 *              |
     50 |       *        @              *           |
     40 |                   @              *        |
     30 |    *  @              @  @           *     |
     20 |                                           |
     10 |    @                       @  @  @  @     |
          0  5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70
          Flash frequency (Hz)
    </pre>

## Related Techniques

(none currently listed)

## Tests

### Procedure

1. Access a page with ASCII art.

2. For each instance of ASCII art, check that it has a text alternative.

### Expected Results

- If check #2 is false, then this failure condition applies and the content fails this Success Criterion.

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