Clicking on the link leads the user to another page containing the description text. Once on the description page, the screen reader can read the text to the blind user. Conversely, a sighted viewer with a slow modem connection can first read the description to see if it is worthwhile to download the graphic. Once the description has been read, the user can then go back to the previous page and continue browsing the site. Another helpful feature the webmaster can provide is a version of a Web site that omits graphics but still contains the same information found on the graphic-oriented pages.
Many sites already feature text-only pages.
All information contained on the graphic pages, including the links found within the images themselves, is provided as text. A text-only alternative makes it possible for a blind user to navigate a highly graphic page but, again, also offers benefits to sighted viewers. Image maps pose special problems for blind Web users. Since the map itself contains several different graphic links, it is important that the links be represented in text form. If a text version of the page exists, all the links found within the image map would be listed here.