The OBJECT element is the preferred method for embedding multi-media into HTML 4.0 documents. This means that authors must take special care to ensure that they have included an alternative representations for each object. Otherwise users with a wide variety of different disabilities may be unable to access the content of the object.
Browsers only need to read the TYPE and DATA attributes in the start tag of an OBJECT to display it properly. This leaves the space between the start and the end tag available for inclusion of alternative textual representation. Browsers that can not display the OBJECT element or whose users have disabled this function WILL try and read any information between the start and end tags. Authors can take advantage of this by using a practice called OBJECT nesting. In OBJECT nesting the most multimedia intensive representation, such as a Java applet, is place first. Then another OBJECT containing a different representation, such as a video or an image is placed between the start and end tags of the first OBJECT. Finally, a plain text description is placed between the start and end tags of the last representation, to be accessed by users who are blind or using text only browsers. An example of OBJECT nesting is shown below:
<OBJECT title="How temperature affects pressure" classid="java:Press.class" width="500" height="500"> <OBJECT data="Pressure.mpeg" type="video/mpeg"> <OBJECT data="Pressure.gif" type="image/gif"> As temperature increases, the molecules in the balloon... </OBJECT> </OBJECT> </OBJECT>
Representations should be chosen so that users accessing any of the alternatives receives the same information. For example, if the primary representation is a stock ticker, then instead of plain text, an anchor linked to a constantly updated quote page might be more appropriate.
This correcting tool lets you quickly add an alternative textual representation to this OBJECT element. Decide whether a text only alternative representation or a hyperlink to an alternate page will be provided. Once the appropriate radio button has been selected, fill in the textual representation or URL.