Images with Microsoft Word

A screen reader can't read an image. However, you can add hidden text that a screen reader will speak when it encounters that image.

How Word handles images

There are no images in HTML files. Each picture you see on a Web page is a separate file. The HTML document tells your browser where to find each image and where to display each image on the page.

When you save a Word document as a Web page, Word makes a separate file for each image in the document and puts these image files in a folder. In order to see those images on the page once it's in WebCT, you must put a copy of that image folder in the same place you put the Web page.

For example, suppose you save your document as a Web page named “page1.html” and Word makes a folder named “page1_files” full of images. When you put “page1.html” in your WebCT Manage Files area, you also need to put the “page1_files” folder in the same place. If the Web page is in a subfolder, the files folder needs to be in that same subfolder.

Folder list showing Web pages and image folders.  

If you have images on a page, Word will put them in a folder that must accompany the Web page in WebCT.

Alternative text with Word for Windows

In Word for Windows, double click an image that you have placed on your page. When the "Format Picture" box pops up, choose the "Web" tab and type a concise description of the image. Then click OK.

Format Picture box showing alternative text.

Choose the "Web" tab and type a concise description of the image. Then click OK.

Alternative text with Word for Macintosh

If you've created a Web page using Microsoft Word on a Macintosh, you can add alternative text for images by editing the source code in Word—that's not as daunting as it may sound—or by using a separate Web page editor, such as Netscape Composer. See the Images page for advice on writing alternative text.

Adding alternative text in the source code

  1. Type your alternative text directly after each image in your document. This will make it easier to match the text with the right image.
  2. Save the original version of your document normally, as a Word file.
  3. From the "File" menu, choose "Save as Web Page."
  4. Select the button to "Save only display information into HTML" and save your Web page.
  5. From the "View" menu, select "Source" or "HTML Source."
  6. Scroll down or do a "find" to get to your first caption.
  7. Just before the caption you'll find text something like this:

    <img width=111 height=100 src="document_name_files/image001.gif">

  8. Just before the > on the end, add a space, then alt="" and move your alternative text into the parenthesis:

    ... src="document_name_files/image001.gif" alt="Alt text goes here">

    (Actually, the alt="" can go any place after img and before the closing bracket >. Use spaces to separate the alt="" from other attributes, such as width and height.)
  9. Click the "Save" icon on your tool bar or pull down the "File" menu and choose "Save". (Ignore Word's warning about saving in text format.)

Adding alternative text with Mozilla or Netscape Composer

You will need a version of the Mozilla or Netscape browser that has the Composer editor built in. The latest versions do. You can download Netscape or download Mozilla free.

  1. Save the original version of your document normally, as a Word file. In the future, you can go back to this Word file to make changes.
  2. From the "File" menu, choose "Save as Web Page."
  3. To make your page download faster, select the button to "Save only display information into HTML."
  4. Save your Web page.
  5. Launch Netscape or Mozilla and, from the "File" menu, choose "Open File."
  6. After the file opens, go under the "File" menu again and choose "Edit Page" to open the page in Composer.
  7. Double click on each image and enter its alternative text.
  8. Save your changes.