{"id":2219,"date":"2024-11-18T16:10:52","date_gmt":"2024-11-18T21:10:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/a11yondemand\/?post_type=chapter&p=2219"},"modified":"2025-05-20T13:16:21","modified_gmt":"2025-05-20T17:16:21","slug":"accessible-links-3","status":"web-only","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/a11yondemand\/chapter\/accessible-links-3\/","title":{"raw":"Accessible Links","rendered":"Accessible Links"},"content":{"raw":"\"\"Accessible links use descriptive link text in place of bare URLs. Write links to ensure they are unique and descriptive and use the built-in link tool to create hyperlinks. Manually review your links to ensure they are unique and descriptive. Use Word's default style of dark cyan and underline for link text.\r\n

Who benefits from accessible links<\/h2>\r\nEffective link text helps readers locate links and understand their destination and purpose. For users of assistive technology links can be used to understand and navigate content efficiently. Bare URLs or links written as \u201cclick here\u201d or \u201cread more\u201d provide less information to everyone and are not useful to assistive technology users.\r\n\r\nConsider the following demonstration comparing screen reader software reading bare URLS, informative link text, and useless link text.\r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/mediaspace.langara.ca\/media\/t\/0_0s5vym2m\r\n

How to ensure links are accessible<\/h2>\r\nTo create accessible links:\r\n
    \r\n \t
  1. Write a brief description of the link destination.<\/li>\r\n \t
  2. Highlight the text to be linked.\r\n
      \r\n \t
    1. Right-click and select\u00a0Link.\r\n\"\"\r\n<\/strong>Or move to the\u00a0Insert\u00a0<\/strong>tab and select\u00a0Link.\r\n<\/strong>\"\"\r\n<\/span>Or press\u00a0Control\u00a0<\/strong>(Command\u00a0<\/strong>on macOS)\u00a0k.<\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
    2. In the\u00a0Insert Hyperlink<\/strong> window, paste the destination URL in the\u00a0Address:\u00a0<\/strong>field.\r\n\"\"\r\nVerify the Text to display<\/strong> field is descriptive and unique.<\/li>\r\n \t
    3. Select Ok<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nLearn more about writing descriptive hyperlinks.<\/a>\r\n\r\nUse Word's default style of dark cyan and underline for link text.\r\n\r\nIn instances where documents are to be printed or distributed in physical format only<\/strong>, use a link shortener like\u00a0bit.ly<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0TinyURL<\/a>.\r\n\r\nRead more about\u00a0accessible links<\/a>\u00a0in the Accessibility Handbook for Teaching and Learning.\r\n

      Double Check<\/h2>\r\nUnfortunately, the Word Accessibility Assistant<\/a> does not check for accessible links. Manually review your links to ensure they are unique and descriptive, ensuring no bare URLs are present.\r\n
      \r\n

      Next<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n

      \r\n\r\nMove to the next page to understand\u202fStructure<\/strong> or select another accessibility practice to learn about<\/a>.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>","rendered":"

      \"\"Accessible links use descriptive link text in place of bare URLs. Write links to ensure they are unique and descriptive and use the built-in link tool to create hyperlinks. Manually review your links to ensure they are unique and descriptive. Use Word’s default style of dark cyan and underline for link text.<\/p>\n

      Who benefits from accessible links<\/h2>\n

      Effective link text helps readers locate links and understand their destination and purpose. For users of assistive technology links can be used to understand and navigate content efficiently. Bare URLs or links written as \u201cclick here\u201d or \u201cread more\u201d provide less information to everyone and are not useful to assistive technology users.<\/p>\n

      Consider the following demonstration comparing screen reader software reading bare URLS, informative link text, and useless link text.<\/p>\n