Image Sources and Alt Text for Education Sites: A First Editing Workflow

Adding images to an education site involves more than choosing appealing photos. You need to record where each image came from and check its permitted use, then make the information it conveys available through appropriate alt text. The workflow below helps first-time operators avoid skipping either source checks or accessibility review.

1. Decide what each image is for

Write one sentence describing the image’s purpose and the page where it will appear. For a course introduction, for example, the purpose might be “show how the class is conducted.” Also decide whether the image is decorative or conveys information about the lesson or enrollment. The same photo can carry different meaning on different pages.

• Note the page and the intended placement.
• Check whether the surrounding copy already provides the information shown in the image.
• If the image contains text, decide whether to provide that wording as ordinary page text as well.

**Hypothetical example:** A photo of brushes and a sketchbook on an online art course page can show the atmosphere of the class. Avoid putting essential details such as class times or required materials only in the photo.

2. Record the source and permitted use

Before choosing an image, establish whether it was taken by your team, found in the service’s stock library, or supplied as a separate file. TalkTalkMySite supports searching licensed stock images and videos. The presence of a search result does not mean that every item has identical usage conditions, so check the information and terms shown for the item you select. If you received a file from an outside party and cannot confirm who supplied it or how it may be used, hold off on publishing it.

• Keep the filename, source, and checked usage conditions in an operations note.
• Check that a photo of people will not mislead visitors into thinking they are the actual instructor or students.
• If the usage terms require attribution, add it in an appropriate place on the page.
• Replace images with unclear permissions with your own image or an alternative whose usage terms are confirmed.

3. Place the image and write its alt text

After placing the image in the visual editor, write alt text that conveys what the page needs to communicate rather than providing a long inventory of everything visible. If an image is decorative and repeats information already present in the copy, do not add a forced description. Check whether the editor offers a decorative-image setting. If it does not, review the page structure and available options to avoid redundant announcements.

• For an informative image, briefly and specifically describe its main subject and relevant action or context.
• Do not rely on alt text alone for important words inside an image; provide those words in the page text too.
• Avoid empty phrases such as “image” or “photo,” as well as lists of keywords.

**Hypothetical example:** For a photo showing how a class works, suitable alt text might be “An instructor explains basic drawing on a tablet during a lesson.” If the image is not from an actual class, do not describe it as real class footage.

4. Save and review the page at each screen size

Save your changes, then check the image’s crop, its relationship to the copy, and the accuracy of its alt text on desktop and mobile. If the image changes, revisit the alt text. TalkTalkMySite’s visual editing lets you review and adjust a page directly, but you should also inspect the published page to verify the saved result.

• Check that the image does not cover text or crop out an important subject.
• Compare the alt text with the image that is actually displayed.
• Imagine that the image fails to load and read the surrounding copy to see whether the essential information is still available.
• Confirm that the image communicates the same intended meaning on desktop and mobile.

5. Finalize your records and plan the next review

Just before publishing, confirm that your source and usage notes match the files actually in use. Source records do not replace alt text, and alt text does not establish permission to use an image. Manage these as separate checks. Do not assume a feature automatically guarantees full accessibility or image rights; the operator still needs to review them.

• Separate unused image candidates from files intended for publication so they cannot be confused.
• Whenever you replace an image, update its source record and alt text together.
• For your next action, choose one page, check the source and alt text for every image on it, make any necessary changes, and review the published page again.