Text alternatives, are a primary way of making visual information accessible, because they can be rendered through many sensory modalities (for example, visual, auditory or tactile) to match the needs of the user. Providing text alternatives allows the information to be rendered in a variety of ways by a variety of user agents.

Every element I use for the basic structure of a HTML document, with explanations why.

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Comprehensive guide on HTML, CSS, Accessibility, &c.