Social Media

Grain Valley Schools has a responsibility to ensure that ALL social media accounts with direct ties to our schools (or are posting on behalf of our schools) in any shape or form are in compliance with the WCAG Digital Accessibility Standards. This includes, but is not limited to accounts such as: School Accounts, Classroom Accounts, Sports/Activities Accounts, Club Accounts…etc.

What does this mean for us?

We must focus on creating digitally accessible content moving forward. With that, all social media posts from here on out must include the following things:

➟  Alternative Text (Alt Text) Caption
➟  Appropriate Color Contrast
➟  NO QR Code
➟  No Fliers/Text Heavy Documents
➟  Videos with captions

What are Alternative Text (Alt Text) Captions?

An Alt Text Caption is descriptive text that is written to describe an image. While the main purpose of an Alt Text Caption is to be read aloud by a screen reader for users who are visually impaired, Alt Text captions benefit us all.

What is the Purpose of Alt Text Captions?

➟ Accessibility –

• Ensures that ALL users will be able to understand the content you are sharing. This includes individuals who are visually impaired, color-blind, or speak a different language than the post was shared in.

➟ User Experience –

• Supports user experience by making sure your images appear in search results driving more traffic/engagement to your website/social posts.

➟ Technical Reasons –

• If a user has poor internet connection, or an image fails to load, the alt text can be displayed in its place, making certain users will still get information.

 

Adding Alt Text to Social Media Posts

You may be wondering how you are supposed to add Alt Captions to a Social Media post. First, please know that an Alt Text Caption is different from the typical post caption you are adding to your Facebook or Instagram post. An Alt Text Caption can be done before or after sharing a post. The easiest way is to add Alt Text while creating your post.

Check out this thorough explanation on how to add alt text captions to your Instagram and Facebook posts through mobile or desktop applications.

Instagram –
Here is a step by step breakdown on how to add ALT Text Captions to your Instagram post. Alt Text can be added before posting, or after sharing. Either way, it is important that each post has an alt text caption. It is recommended that this is done before sharing the post. All photos in your post must have an alt text caption.

Adding Alt Text before sharing:

1. Open Instagram and start a new post.
2. Select the photo(s) you would like to share.
3. Click Next through the editing screen.
4. Once you get to the screen where you can edit your caption, you will scroll to the bottom and click “More Options”
5. You will again scroll to the bottom until you see “Write Alt Text”. Click to expand.
6. You will then be prompted to write a caption. Now you will want to create a caption that effectively describes the image.
7. All images in the post must have their own alt text caption.
8. After writing your caption, click done. Hit the back arrow to the new post editing screen, and share your post.

Adding Alt Text after sharing:

1. Go to your Instagram Profile you wish to edit.
2. Click the post you want to update.
3. Select the three dots in the top right corner.
4. Click “Edit”
5. Select “Edit Alt Text” in the bottom right corner of the image.
6. Write the caption(s) and click done.
7. Click done, and Instagram will save your updates.

Facebook –
Here is a step by step breakdown on how to add ALT Text Captions to your Facebook post. Alt Text can be added before posting, or after sharing. Either way, it is important that each post has an alt text caption. It is recommended that this is done before sharing the post. All photos in your post must have an alt text caption.

Adding Alt Text before sharing:
From Desktop:

1. Open Facebook and create a new post.
2. Add caption for post and image(s).
3. Click the edit button that is on the image.
4. Click Alternative Text. (Last option).
   Note: Facebook will automatically try to create an alt text caption. More times than not, it is not accurate, it is important that you create your own.
5. Select Custom Alt Text and write a caption for your image.
6. Click the save button.
7. Finish editing your post caption or repeat for additional images. Every Image must have Alt Text.
8. Share your post.

From Mobile:

1. Create a new post.
2. Write your post caption, and add photo(s) you would like to use for the post.
3. Select the “Edit” option on the image.
4. Click settings in the editing menu and select “Write Alt Text”
5. Add alt text for your image.
6. Select done, and next. (Do not hit the X as this will erase your edits to alt text captions).
7. Repeat for additional images, finish your post and share.

Adding Alt text after sharing:
From Desktop:

1. Click the image on the post you wish to edit.
2. Click the three dots in the right corner near post details. (Caption, account name, time, date…etc.)
3. Select Change Alt Text
4. Add alt text to the post, then click save.

From Mobile:

1. Create a new post.
2. Add the image you would like in your post.
3. Once you have added your image, click the three dots that are in the right corner.
4. From the options, select “Edit alt text”.
5. Add alt text caption and click “done”.