ULEARN Accessibility Guide Image-Based File Detected

The DOCX file appears to be a scanned image, which may be completely inaccessible to some users.

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No, you’re not seeing triple—this same error occurs with PDF, Word, and PowerPoint files. You’re currently reviewing the issue as it pertains to Word files.

User Experience

What You May Experience

Word document with three charts and no surrounding text

What Students May Experience

Transcript

Why this Matters

Documents made up only of images can be disorienting for all students. Without headings, labels, or descriptive text to anchor their understanding, students may struggle to interpret what they are seeing, how the images relate to one another, or the overall structure of the content. This lack of textual cues can make it difficult to follow the intended sequence of ideas, identify key concepts, or locate specific information.

For students using screen readers, the impact is even more severe if the images are missing alternative text. Without alt text, screen reader users cannot access the information the instructor intended to convey, effectively making the content invisible to them. Even when alt text is present, it may not be sufficient for complex visuals such as charts, graphs, or diagrams. Alt text alone often cannot convey the full meaning, trends, or relationships represented in these images. In such cases, additional textual descriptions or summaries are necessary to ensure students can fully understand the content.

Students encountering documents that rely solely on images without adequate text may feel confused, excluded, or uncertain about whether they are missing critical information.

How to Fix It

Fix in UDOIT: This issue cannot be fixed in UDOIT. In the “Review Course Files” area of UDOIT, locate the image-based Word document, select it, and download it. Then, use Microsoft Word to make your document more accessible. Ensure that all images have descriptive alt text (see: Image Does Not Include an 'alt' Attribute) and provide context for the images in the surrounding text. Finally, replace the original inaccessible file with the accessible alternative.

Last Updated: Oct 24, 2025, 6:10 PM

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