Work with Visuals

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Review Visuals

Review the visuals you want to include in your document.

Visuals (charts, diagrams, tables, infographics, data visualizations, graphics, photos, outlined text, et cetera) convey meaning related to the text.  Visuals must be described so that all users can access the information.

Ensure all visuals include alt-tags and figure captions by following best practices for visuals.

Alt-Tag Visuals

Add alt-tags to visuals that convey meaning.

The alt-tag briefly describes the visual to screen reader users only.  Work with your user or writer/editor to write alt-tags for visuals. 

  1. Right-click on the object and choose “Object Export Options” (or go to the Object menu and choose “Object Export Options.)
  2. Choose “Alt Text” and “Custom,” then type the alt tag.
Figure 1: Object Export Options menu showing how to alt-tag a visual that conveys meaning.

Artifact Visuals

Artifact visuals that do not convey meaning.

  1. Right-click on the object and choose “Object Export Options” (or go to the Object menu and choose “Object Export Options.)
  2. Choose “Tagged PDF” and “Artifact.”

Visuals that are decorative only and do not convey meaning should be artifacted.

Figure 2: Object Export Options menu showing where to artifact a visual that does not convey meaning

Use Object Styles to Artifact

Use an Object Style to artifact multiple objects. 

  1. First, artifact one object by following the method described in the previous section.
  2. Then, create an Object Style and name it “Artifact.” 
  3. In the Object Style menu, uncheck all options under Basic Attributes except for Export Tagging. 
  4. Under Export Options, leave Alt Text, Tagged PDF, EPUB and HTML checked.
Figure 3: Object Style menu showing how to set up an Artifact Object Style

Use Parent Pages to Automatically Artifact

Automatically artifact by moving decorative visuals to a Parent Page. 

  • Cut the items from the page with (CMD + X)
  • Use SHIFT + OPT + CMD + V to paste them in place on the Parent Page. 

This method simplifies the elements shown in the Layer stack which will is helpful during the rest of the process.

If you use the Check Document for Accessibility Script, ignore the alert that visuals on Parent Pages need alt-tags. They do not.  The script is mistaken in this regard.

Automatically Artifact Certain Elements

“Some other elements that are automatically artifacted by InDesign:

  • Anything placed on a parent/master page is automatically artifacted.
  • Graphic frames are similar to text frames: the container frame itself is artifacted, leaving the graphic intact and tagged as <Figure>.
  • Rules above/below, Borders, and Shading [on text frames] are automatically artifacted and leave the text content intact and tagged.
  • Underlines on text, including those used to indicated hyperlinks are automatically artifacted.
  • Cell Borders and Shading in tables are artifacted, leaving the cell contents intact and tagged.
  • Borders/rules between columns are artifacted.
  • If using footnotes, the short horizontal line above the first footnote’s text is artifacted.

“You only have to manually artifact something only if you deliberately create or place it on the page, like an unimportant graphic that is only eye candy but has no significant visual information to convey. Otherwise, InDesign pretty much automatically takes care of the items listed above.”

– Bevi Chagnon, Designer & Technologist for Accessible Documents

Handle QR Codes Correctly

Alt-tag the Object in InDesign to describe the Object’s function and destination.  “Scan the Q R code to visit [XYZ]”

Link the Object in InDesign, uncheck Shared Destination, and include an alt-tag on the link:   “Scan the Q R code to visit [XYZ]”

In Acrobat, ensure the Figure tag is at the parent level – the same level as all the other tags. 

Drag the Link tag inside the Figure tag.

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Figure 4: Proper structure for QR code figures in the tags tree in Acrobat.

Add Figure Captions

The figure caption is part of the document text and visible to all users.  Complex visuals need figure captions to explain their key takeaways to benefit all users and present the information in multiple ways to suit different learning styles.  Work with your user or writer/editor to write figure captions if they were not provided.

Add the figure caption as visible text near the visual and tag it as P (paragraph).

Figure 5: An example of a visual that correctly includes a figure caption to provide key takeaways

Avoid Grouped Objects

Grouped objects or art elements drawn in InDesign will cause a “nested alt-text” error and you will have to remediate them manually in Acrobat PDF. 

Build art elements in Illustrator or Photoshop and place them as linked objects, then alt- tag the object.

Alt-Tag Outlined Text

Outlined text cannot be read by a screen reader.

Treat it as an image and alt-tag it.

Course Sections

Course Overview

  1. Understand Inclusive and Accessible Content
  2. Configure Your Workspaces
  3. Plan the Layout
  4. Work with Text
  5. Work with Visuals
  6. Create Drafts
  7. Learn Special Considerations for Publications
  8. Finalize the Document: Check, Set Reading Order, and Export
  9. Perform Post-Process in Acrobat
  10. Test the Document
  11. Make Additional Changes
  12. Explore Bonus Features
  13. Engage with More Resources

Checklist for Accessible InDesign Documents