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Re: Usefulness of "Opens in New window" Indicator for non-blindness

for

From: Joe Chidzik
Date: Feb 6, 2013 8:17AM

> We deal with some tools that will only open in a new window (links housed
> within our learning management system to PDF articles or third party tools).
> What would be recommended in this case? What are some of the best (most
> accessible to the most users) ways to indicate that a new window will appear
> when you click a link?
>
> Rachel

[Joe Chidzik] Wikipedia uses a neat system of icons to indicate links that lead to external sites. This would be beneficial for indicating both links that open in a new window, and links that lead to a PDFWord doc etc.

Typically the title attribute is used to indicate when a link opens in a new window, however this is only really accessible to sighted mouse users when they hover the mouse over the link in question. Using an icon to indicate a new window link has several advantages:
i) It is clearly visible for sighted users
ii) It can have alt text assigned for screenreader users (Screenreaders will often not read out the title attribute on links unless the user explicitly requests it, but they will read alt text as a matter of course)
iii) the use of icons can particularly be beneficial for users with cognitive disabilities who may, as Detlev pointed out, find new windows being opened disorienting. You could, as well, use a PDF or Word icon to indicate when links lead to a document of this type.

An example of coding a link with an image in this way might be:
<a href="www.somesite.org">My website<img src="icons/new_window.png" alt="New window"></a>

--
Joe