Rethinking Alternative Text in WordPress: Deneb Pulsipher

Generative AI tools are flooded with promises of automated accessibility shortcuts, but fully automated, "hands-off" alt text often fails blind and low-vision users by missing context or introducing inaccuracies.

This presentation uses a real-world case study—the open-source plugin Polly Alt—to explore how we can ethically leverage generative AI as an accessibility aid by intentionally keeping a human in the loop.

We will look at how we can design user interfaces that use benevolent friction within Gutenberg, Elementor, and the WordPress Media Library to make it completely frictionless for site administrators to write or edit alt text, while making it gently difficult to publish empty image descriptions.

Additionally, we'll discuss how AI shouldn't just do the work for lazy administrators, but should act as an accessibility training tool—using multi-subject angles and screen-reader context boxes to teach content creators how to draft high-quality visual descriptions on their own over time.

Attendees will walk away from this presentation with a clear understanding of:

1. The Human-in-the-Loop Imperative: Why fully automated AI accessibility overlays and silent background scripts fail, and how to build software that enforces human review, human editing, and final content ownership.
2. The Mechanics of Benevolent Friction: How to identify key intercept points in the WordPress admin interface (such as save hooks, post-publishing routines, and page exits) to guide users toward accessible habits naturally.
3. Repurposing UI for Accessibility Training: Practical examples of how providing contextual feedback—like multi-subject variations and immediate screen-reader character constraints—can improve the user's real-world understanding of digital accessibility standards.

Thank you to our sponsors:

• Live captions and post-event transcription: Kinsta
• Organizer and host: Equalize Digital Accessibility Checker
• Your Business here! Learn about sponsorship

Event Details:
This meetup will be held at U.S. 8 AM Pacific, which is 10 AM U.S. Central, 4 PM in the UK, and 8:30 PM IST.
RSVP to receive the link.

Accessibility & Accommodations:
This meetup will be held virtually over Zoom and live captioned.

Slide links will be provided when applicable, and presenters are encouraged to make slides as accessible as possible with alternative text for images, etc.

We're working to secure sponsors so that we can offer ASL interpretation.

All are welcome to attend. If you need specific accommodations to make this meetup work for you, please contact an organizer, and we will try our best to accommodate you.

Code of Conduct:
Please note that this group is a welcoming space for all, and all members must follow the WordPress Online Code of Conduct.

By RSVPing to this meetup, you agree to abide by these guidelines. If you have concerns that the Online Code of Conduct is not being followed, please contact an organizer.