Alt text and descriptions play a critical role in ensuring the accessibility of multimedia links in DITA content. They provide important information to users who may have disabilities, such as visual impairments, and rely on screen readers or other assistive technologies to access and understand the content. Here’s how alt text and descriptions work in the context of multimedia links:

Alt Text for Images: When including images in DITA content, it’s essential to provide alt text that describes the content and purpose of the image. This allows individuals who cannot see the image to understand its significance. Here’s an example of how to use alt text for an image in DITA:

<image href="your-image.png" alt="Illustration of a complex network topology" />

The “alt” attribute provides a concise and accurate description of the image, ensuring that screen readers can convey this information to users with visual impairments.

Descriptions for Multimedia: For multimedia links like videos or audio files, descriptions can be added to provide context and content summaries. Descriptions are especially valuable for ensuring accessibility. Here’s how you can include descriptions for multimedia links in DITA:

<video href="your-video.mp4" format="mp4">
  <desc>This video explains the process of assembling a product.</desc>
</video>

The “desc” element allows you to provide a clear and concise description of the multimedia content, helping users understand what the video or audio file contains, even if they can’t see or hear it directly.