{"id":2131,"date":"2025-11-06T09:19:24","date_gmt":"2025-11-06T14:19:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.uscupstate.edu\/tip\/?p=2131"},"modified":"2025-11-06T09:19:26","modified_gmt":"2025-11-06T14:19:26","slug":"ai-spark-tips-using-ai-to-improve-image-accessibility","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.uscupstate.edu\/tip\/ai-spark-tips-using-ai-to-improve-image-accessibility\/","title":{"rendered":"AI Spark Tips: Using AI to Improve Image Accessibility"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-light-gray-background-color has-background has-medium-font-size\">Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Akash Garg, Instructor of Biology<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/udlguidelines.cast.org\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/udlguidelines.cast.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CAST guidelines for Universal Design for Learning <\/a>emphasize the importance of offering learners multiple ways to perceive information, including images and visualizations for sighted students and text-based descriptions of that content for students who engage with course materials with screen readers or audio formats.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In courses that make extensive use of images, providing text-based descriptions (called <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/sc.edu\/about\/offices_and_divisions\/digital-accessibility\/toolbox\/best_practices\/alternative_text\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">alt text<\/a><\/strong>) can be a time-consuming&#8211;though rewarding&#8211;process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text has-media-on-the-right is-stacked-on-mobile\" style=\"grid-template-columns:auto 36%\"><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p>At USC Upstate, <strong>Dr. Akash Garg, Instructor of Biology<\/strong>, applied his AI developer skills to tackling the alt text challenge. He has launched the <a href=\"https:\/\/chatgpt.com\/g\/g-6902ad638e708191a74869cbf8632f6c-usc-upstate-nse-department-alt-text-assistant\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">USC Upstate NSE Department Alt Text Assistant<\/a>. Login with your <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.uscupstate.edu\/tip\/ai-spark-tips-welcome-to-chatgpt-edu\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"1979\">USC Upstate ChatGPT.Edu <\/a>account to access.<\/p>\n<\/div><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"400\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.uscupstate.edu\/tip\/wp-content\/uploads\/Akash-Garg.jpg\" alt=\"Akash Garg photo portrait\" class=\"wp-image-2147 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.uscupstate.edu\/tip\/wp-content\/uploads\/Akash-Garg.jpg 400w, https:\/\/blogs.uscupstate.edu\/tip\/wp-content\/uploads\/Akash-Garg-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.uscupstate.edu\/tip\/wp-content\/uploads\/Akash-Garg-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/blogs.uscupstate.edu\/tip\/wp-content\/uploads\/Akash-Garg-75x75.jpg 75w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Inspired by the <a href=\"https:\/\/teachonline.asu.edu\/image-accessibility-generator\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Arizona State University Image Accessibility Generator<\/a>, Dr. Garg refined the AI model and added greater flexibility in the user interface to allow instructors working on alt text in their course to cut and paste or drag and drop images and files directly into the AI. He also added options for generating alt text for different purposes&#8211;instructional details for images in presentations, but background information without labels for images in quizzes and tests. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe title='Embedded Media titled: GPT VIDEO Demo' aria-label='Embedded Media titled: GPT VIDEO Demo' width=\"560\"  height=\"315\"  src=\"https:\/\/uscupstate.yuja.com\/V\/Video?v=14475118&#038;node=62668959&#038;a=135712354&#038;preload=false\" frameborder=\"0\" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen loading=\"lazy\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<p>By fine-tuning the training materials and usability of the alt text generator, Dr. Garg offers faculty members a streamlined way to increase accessibility and improve learning for all students. The benefits are especially felt among STEM colleagues, where complex figures, models, diagrams, and hand-drawn solutions are an essential part of every course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Instructors with less advanced alt text needs may find the <a href=\"https:\/\/help.blackboard.com\/Ally\/Ally_for_Websites\/Instructor_Editor\/Improve_Content_Accessibility\/Add_Alt_Text_To_Webpage_Images\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ally Alt Text Generator<\/a> within Blackboard also provides high quality alt text for images within Blackboard pages. As with any AI-generated content, it is important to review and edit the alt text suggestions for accuracy and context. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"687\" height=\"473\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.uscupstate.edu\/tip\/wp-content\/uploads\/Ally-Alt-Text-Generator.jpg\" alt=\"Screenshot of Ally Accessibility tool in Blackboard, featuring Auto-generate description for alt text.\" class=\"wp-image-2141\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.uscupstate.edu\/tip\/wp-content\/uploads\/Ally-Alt-Text-Generator.jpg 687w, https:\/\/blogs.uscupstate.edu\/tip\/wp-content\/uploads\/Ally-Alt-Text-Generator-300x207.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 687px) 100vw, 687px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Bonus Tip: <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s a good idea to start a new chat with the assistant when you switch topics or courses to avoid having past responses influence the alt text provided for the next topic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s also worth noting that AI Assistant has been trained on the details of current accessibility standards, so you can also ask for general tips for writing alt text. <\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image wp-duotone-unset-1\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"624\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.uscupstate.edu\/tip\/wp-content\/uploads\/Alt-Text-Assistant.jpg\" alt=\"Screenshot of Alt Text Assistant answering the question, &quot;Could you please tell me more about the standards for producing good alt text?&quot; \" class=\"wp-image-2139\" style=\"width:602px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.uscupstate.edu\/tip\/wp-content\/uploads\/Alt-Text-Assistant.jpg 624w, https:\/\/blogs.uscupstate.edu\/tip\/wp-content\/uploads\/Alt-Text-Assistant-300x216.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 624px) 100vw, 624px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Akash Garg, Instructor of Biology The CAST guidelines for Universal Design for Learning emphasize the importance of offering learners multiple ways to perceive information, including images and visualizations for sighted students and text-based descriptions of that content for students who engage with course materials with screen readers or audio formats. In courses &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.uscupstate.edu\/tip\/ai-spark-tips-using-ai-to-improve-image-accessibility\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">AI Spark Tips: Using AI to Improve Image Accessibility<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1783,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[50,7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2131","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-genai","category-udl"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blogs.uscupstate.edu\/tip\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/AI-Generated-image-of-Generative-AI-for-Higher-Education-1200.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uscupstate.edu\/tip\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2131","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uscupstate.edu\/tip\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uscupstate.edu\/tip\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uscupstate.edu\/tip\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uscupstate.edu\/tip\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2131"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uscupstate.edu\/tip\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2131\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2149,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uscupstate.edu\/tip\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2131\/revisions\/2149"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uscupstate.edu\/tip\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1783"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uscupstate.edu\/tip\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2131"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uscupstate.edu\/tip\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2131"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uscupstate.edu\/tip\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2131"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}