Best Practices
5 Links
In this section, we review how to add accessible links to content. Links include weblinks, links between different chapters of a book, links within a chapter, and links to attached files.
What are links?
A link (also called a hyperlink) is found in a file, document, or web page that redirects the reader to additional information found in another online location such as a new web page; links are typically activated by clicking on a highlighted word or image on the screen.
Links can be helpful. But, like other non-text elements, they must be assessed for how students with a range of challenges can and will access them. Understanding and attending to these needs through descriptive text, proper link opening, and—when needed—a web address will ensure that all students can benefit.
Why are you including the links you have selected?
Generally, links are included within content to point the user to additional information that is available at another location. Links between different parts of a book are also used to facilitate navigation.
Who are you doing this for?
Who benefits?
Being attentive to link accessibility is essential for students who are blind or use a screen reader.
In addition, it also benefits (among others) students who:
- Have motion impairment
- Access your material on their phones
- Are searching for a particular link in your material
- Use keyboard navigation only
- Are deaf or hard of hearing
- Have ADHD
- Do not have the program needed to open a link or do not have local storage rights on their device
- Are new to technology
What do you need to do?
Create descriptive link text (sometimes called a “nice link”)
You need to ensure that all links have text that describes the topic or purpose of the link. This is important because people using screen readers might have their screen reader set to read out the text for each link on a page. As such, the link text must describe the content of the link when taken out of context for the surrounding paragraph. While link texts such as “click here” or “read more” will make sense to sighted users, they mean nothing when read on their own.[1]
Example 1: Click here for information on BCcampus Open Education.
Example 2: You can find more information on BCcampus Open Education at http://open.bccampus.ca/.
Example 3: Information on BCcampus Open Education is available online.
While the first two examples make sense in the context of the sentence, neither link text describes the purpose of its link. While the second example is better than the first, having the web address as the link text still does not make the purpose of the link clear. The third example is the most accessible.
Link to non-web content
If you want to link to something that isn’t a web page—such as a Word document, Excel file, or PDF—you should include this information in the link text.[2] This is important because it informs the user what will happen when they click on the link, thus preventing confusion. In ad