Alternative Information

Definition

Alternative information is an equivalent content in a different format than the original content. While both convey the same information.

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Explanation

You have seen that technology is growing so fast! People talk about driverless cars, self-cleaning ovens, etc.

In such an era, have you ever wondered how do the blind read web information or the deaf hear audios on the internet?

People with any kind of disability will need special aids to be able to use web information. And this aid is provided by Assistive Technologies such as screen readers, switch devices, etc.

The blind can’t read but they can listen better than any other person who can see. The same is with the deaf, they can’t hear but they have an excellent vision.

So why not convey readable information to the blind in the form of audio information. And similarly, convert the audio into a readable format to help the deaf!

This process of giving one format of the content in another format is called alternative information.

A few examples of alternative information are: 

• Alt tag helps in conveying images in the form of text which is then read out loud by a screen reader.
• Transcripts help in conveying audio in the form of text.
• (Are there any more??)
• Page summary helps you to understand the content of the page in brief.
• The presentation summary helps to convey the content to the people who can’t access the slides in a presentation.