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Re: Link text best practice

for

From: Jim Allan
Date: Jan 4, 2011 4:06PM

Liz,
that checklist is for Word documents only. It makes sense to have the
fully qualified URL in text in the word document. I would still make
some descriptive text be the link and parenthetically include the
'fully qualified URL'. If you review the 508 HTML Guideline
(http://www.hhs.gov/web/policies/checklisthtml.html) it does not
mention the "fully qualified URL."

Jim

On Tue, Jan 4, 2011 at 1:27 PM, Liz Layman < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
> Hello:
>
> In regards to "Some of them have told me that they've read (no references given) 'somewhere
> online' that URLs should always be used for link text. I haven't been able
> to find this anywhere, but wanted to check here too."
>
> In working on federal contracts with HHS & CMS, they specify in their 508 checklists that URLs should "display the fully qualified URL" - which has been discussed with contracting officials as the full URL when linking externally.
>
> To reference the checklists, please see: http://www.hhs.gov/web/508/checklists/index.html (for example in the word checklist, refer to '1.0 - ID 1.10').
>
> We have discussed how a full [or long] URL such as one generated from a content management system would not be beneficial for a screen reader user to render. I personally feel it would be more beneficial and usable to use link text that describes the source target/link destination (e.g., requirements for XYZ on NASA). The 'click here' is not useful to describe the source target/link destination , and if there are more than one of these on a page it can cause confusion - especially if using a screen reader one chooses to view a list of all links for quick navigation or orientation to the page content.
>
> However, the primary use of the content needs to distinguish how the URL is to be displayed. Is it a web page or content linked from a web page? Is it e-mail text or printed content? I agree with displaying the full URL within an e-mail and on printed content.
>
> Twitter: 508ingGirl
>
> Liz Layman ( <EMAIL REMOVED> )
>
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