STM Draft Taxonomy for Image Types Now Open for Public Comment

The Alt-Text Accessibility Task and Finish Group (TFG) of the International Association of Scientific, Technical & Medical Publishers (STM) has released its draft image-type taxonomy for scholarly images, now open for public comment.

The TFG, whose members include experts on accessibility as well as publishing professionals, developed the draft as a first step in enabling authors and publishers to provide better alt text for images. The taxonomy defines 15 high-level categories of image types, from charts and maps to musical notations and photographs, all requiring a different approach when providing alt text. Within each category are also numerous subcategories. 

The guidelines will help authors and publishers as they work to meet new ADA Title II requirements for digital accessibility, which go into effect this April. STM’s plan is ultimately to develop examples of alt text for each category (and potentially for subcategories as well). In the meantime, community members are invited to review the draft guidelines and provide feedback in the online form provided by February 28. STM is also offering a free webinar on the taxonomy on February 10.