The six elements of multimedia are text, animation, still images, audio, video and interactive platforms. Text consists of words on the screen. Animation refers to animated images or figures on the screen or transitions throughout a media presentation. Still images are pictures. Audio includes recorded lectures, dialogue or music. Videos are either embedded into the multimedia, or the link is made available. Interactive platforms require end-user interaction.
Text is easy to forget in a multimedia platform, but it has two potential functions: expressing specific information or acting as reinforcement for information in other media. Having text and visual elements is common in applications with accessibility requirements. For example, when Web pages include image elements, they also include text for the user's browser to provide as an alternative, in case the digital image item is not available.
Digital photographs and clip art both qualify as still images. They typically accompany text to illustrate the point the text makes. They may have click connectivity that leads the viewer to another element, such as audio or video, which makes an additional element – interactivity – possible.
Animation may also include interactivity, allowing the viewer to interact with the animated figures on the screen via the mouse and keyboard. Transitions may also be animated to provide interest in a slide show.