Descriptive Links and Labelling
Another way to improve the usability and accessibility of digital and web resources is to review the way links and other elements on the page are introduced and labelled. Assistive technology such as screenreaders and reading tools handle the use of links and embedded elements on a digital page differently than you might expect. They may provide a list of links, or present links out of the context of your content, which can be confusing to these users. There are basic principles and best practices that you can watch for (and employ in you own work) that will help improve the overall experience of using your resources.
Questions to ask about descriptive links and labelling
Descriptive links and labelling are easy to pick out as you review OER content. Here are some questions you should ask yourself as you review OER content. Learn more about each of these areas by reviewing the content under the related headings.
Descriptive Links
- Do you see instances of “Click here”, “Read more” or “follow this link”?
- Does the linked text describe where the link leads?
- Are links that open a new file format or in a new tab marked with [New tab], [PDF] or another indicator?
Labelling for Embedded elements – videos, H5P, etc
- Is there a statement or heading in the text that introduces embedded elements?
- Are there links to text versions or alternatives to the embedded element that are visible/present for users?
- Do images have labelling that may help the user understand the image?
As you review a potential OER for inclusion in your course, consider the following common issues around linking and labelling.
Descriptive Links
Links That Do Not Describe the Destination or Function
Like headings, screen readers can list all of the links on a page to gather a summary of the resources that lead from it. If the link list is made up of meaningless phrases like “click here” or “this link” or “more”, little or no useful information is provided to the screen reader user. For most users, meaningless links like this make content more difficult to use. If you are able to see, imagine yourself coming across these links and having to read through the surrounding text to figure out where the link leads, or having to click the link to discover its destination.
Use descriptive link text instead
Ensure that all web pages and links have titles that describe a topic or purpose. The purpose of the link can be determined by the text alone. That is, you don’t need to include additional information justifying the use of the link. You want the link to be meaningful in context. For example, do not use generic text such as “click here” or “read more” unless the purpose of the link can be determined by meaning in the surrounding content.
Examples
Digital OER should have descriptive links that explain to where the hyperlink is going to navigate the reader.
- Good example: Information on the BC Open Textbook Project is available online.
- Bad example: Click here for information on the BC Open Textbook Project.
If the OER design does not permit the inclusion of explicit links in the text, implicit links can be used, and a more detailed list of sources should be provided at the end of the resource or in a separate document. Footnotes are a great way of providing more explicit links for content without cluttering the text on a page.
Labelling Embedded elements
Labelling in an OER can help all users to understand the context around items that are included. While not always standard practice, look for OER that have a statement that introduces a video or interactive element. This can help assistive tech to announce what is about to happen.
Consider the improvements to accessibility from the following:
- a video labelled with a Watch statement enables users who may have difficulty viewing an embedded video can easily jump to the source, such as YouTube and is helpful for assistive tech
- an image caption can be used to provide context or further explanation for the image, and all users may benefit from the additional information.
- an H5P with a clear label can be paired with a textual version, enabling Print, PDF and assistive tech users to have a better experience.
Attribution & References
- Links That Do Not Describe the Destination or Function is adapted from “Things to watch for” In Professional Web Accessibility Auditing Made Easy by Digital Education Strategies, The Chang School, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Use descriptive link text instead is adapted from Accessibility and Usability by Abbey Elder In The OER Starter Kit, CC BY 4.0.
Adaptation notes
Combined the two sources to build out this page. Added Questions to ask about descriptive links and labelling.
