Links and Hypertext

• According to WebAIM, making hypertext links accessible is one of the most basic and most important aspects of web accessibility.
• WCAG 2.0 Guideline 2.4.4 (level A) - The purpose of each link can be determined from the link text alone or from the link text together with its programmatically determined link context, except where the purpose of the link would be ambiguous to the users in general.

Avoid These Link Words and Phrases

• Don't use click here to register for classes, instead use: register for classes
• Other words and phrases you should not use as links:
  • here
  • more
  • read more
  • link to (some destination)
  • info

Avoid Using URLs as Links

• Don't use: http://ung.edu/index.php, instead use: UNG home page
• Don't use: For a full schedule, visit http://ung.edu/student-involvement/weeks-of-welcome.php, instead use: For a full schedule, visit our Weeks of Welcome web page

Include Document Type within Link Text

It is a best practice to let your website users know when they select a link that it may lead them to non-HTML resources such as PDF files, Word or Excel documents. To do this you should add the document type within the link. Here is a list of the primary document types used on the UNG website:

• Microsoft Word Document - DOC or DOCX
• Portable Document Format - PDF
• Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet - XLS

Link Examples:

• One Document Type

  • Academic Syllabus (PDF)
  • Registration Form (DOCX)
  • Enrollment Data (XLS)

• Multiple document type - Include a heading

Academic Syllabus

• • 2016 (PDF), 2016 (WORD)
  • 2015 (PDF), 2015 (DOC)

Want to Learn More about Links and Hypertext?

• WebAIM - Introduction to Links and Hypertext
• PENNSTATE - Links on a Web Page
• Sitepoint.com - Making Accessible Links: 15 Golden Rules For Developers