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alt Alternative Text

Word or phrase that serves as a textual alternative for the element.

Usage/Remarks

Accessibility Best Practice

Please reserve this attribute for accessibility uses such as pronouncing screen readers. For example, it could be used to provide a textual interpretation of an emoticon (for example, “wink, frown” for the emoticon “;-( ”).
Examples of Use
Provides, for the elements on which it is allowed, the same type of service for pronouncing screen readers and other accessibility software as the element <alt-text> provides for graphics and other objects. This attribute contains a word or phrase used to provide a very short textual alternative to a component such as an abbreviation or cross-reference. The content of the attribute can be used for special accessibility presentation, for example, to differentiate (as content of an <abbrev> element) that the WHO should not be pronounced as the “who”, but rather be pronounced as the “W.H.O.” or as the “World Health Organization”.
A <label> might also need to be pronounced in a way that is not reflected in its content or its tagging. The @alt attribute can record the pronunciation for screen readers and other accessibility devices. For example, the equation (<disp-formula>) label below might best be pronounced as “equation 3”, avoiding the issues of the abbreviation, any non-breaking-space character, and the roman numerals. 
<label alt="equation 3">Eq.&#x00A0;III.</label>
OPTIONAL on many elements; click for list and usage

<abbrev>, <label>, <named-content>, <styled-content>, <xref>

Value Meaning
Text, numbers, or special characters Simple words or phrases provided as a textual alternative to its element, for example, a phrase to be pronounced by screen readers.
Restriction @alt is an optional attribute; there is no default.
Tagged Sample

Alternative pronunciation for an acronym

...
<p><bold>Background:</bold> The disabilities of the arm, shoulder
 and hand (<abbrev alt="D.A.S.H.">DASH</abbrev>) questionnaire is a
 self-administered region-specific outcome instrument ...</p>
...
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