Success Criterion 1.1.1
Conformance level A

Star Rating Shown Only as Images, Never as Text

1.1.1 — Non-text Content

Scenario

Setting

A community forum's discussion thread

What’s wrong

Rating widgets shown as star images with no text equivalent ("3 of 5 stars").

Example

<img src="chart.png">

Why it matters

Blind and low-vision people using screen readers, and anyone who browses with images disabled, when icons or photos carry meaning.

How to test

Check the accessible name of a star-rating widget: it should read as text like '3 of 5 stars', not just visually filled/empty star icons.

How to fix

Provide the rating as text (e.g., '3 of 5 stars') with the star graphics hidden or labeled.

<img src="chart.png" alt="Q3 revenue chart showing 12% growth">

The alt attribute gives assistive technology the same information the image conveys visually.

Outcome

On a community forum's discussion thread, this barrier is gone for blind and low-vision people using screen readers — they get the same result as anyone else here.

Who is affected