Perceivable → Text Alternatives → 1.1.1
Non-text Content
WCAG Requirement
All non-text content has a text alternative that serves the equivalent purpose. Decorative images can use empty alt text.
Experience Builder Notes
EB maps generate many non-text elements. Map widgets, legend icons, and chart components often lack alt text. Check Image widgets and custom icons.
Map & GIS Considerations
Maps are inherently visual. The most important accommodation is providing a data table or text summary that conveys the same information the map shows. For example, if a map displays flood zones by county, a sortable table with county names and flood zone designations gives screen reader users equivalent access. This is the single highest-impact accessibility improvement for any GIS application.
Sufficient Techniques
- ✓Provide alt text for all informative images
- ✓Use alt="" for decorative images
- ✓Provide text alternatives for complex images like charts and maps
- ✓Use aria-label or aria-labelledby for icon buttons
- ✓Provide a data table alongside or linked from any interactive map
- ✓Add a text summary describing the key spatial patterns the map shows
Common Failures in EB Apps
- ✗Image widgets missing alt text
- ✗Map legend icons without text alternatives
- ✗Icon-only buttons in toolbars lacking aria-label
- ✗Chart widgets without data table alternatives
- ✗Interactive map with no data table or text equivalent
Full specification: WCAG 2.1 — 1.1.1 Non-text Content
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