Hypertext Links

Recommended technique R1:

• Use descriptive link text, not just "click here" to ensure that each link makes sense when it is read out of context.

Some users, including people who are blind or have low vision, use technologies that present all links on a Web page as a simple list. For an overview of the page, the user views the list or tabs to each link and listens with synthesized speech. Links that say go or click here do not make sense when read out of context if there are more than one. More than one link text click here does not indicate what information will be displayed if the link is clicked. The problem is magnified when there are a large number of links with the same link text. Each link should uniquely indicate the target of the link.

A related problem is when the same descriptive link text is used more than once, but links to a different page in each case. For example, it is confusing when the link "product" is used to link to the product's home page and later on down the page the same link "product" is used to link to a different page about additional information. It is not as confusing and therefore not as necessary to have all links to the same reference be the same exact link. For example, an image link and a text link may link to the same resource and not be confusing. Each link should make sense when read out of context.

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The following techniques and examples support better ease of us and are recommended to improve accessibility:

Descriptive Link Text

Use descriptive link text instead of Click here. Ensure that each link makes sense when it is read out of context. Link text should be informative but not verbose. For example:

To review this topic, return to Checkpoint 15

instead of

To review this topic, click here.

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After a Web site or template has been created, check the site to ensure that it complies with accessibility requirements. Several techniques are available to verify that links on Web pages are accessible to people with disabilities.