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best method for linking to external sites

for

From: Angela French
Date: Apr 13, 2011 2:12PM

Usability guidelines recommend indicating to users whether a link goes to an external site. I am wondering how screen reader users prefer that indication. For sighted users, I am considering a class applied in the anchor tag that applies an icon after the link. Since I cannot associate an alt value on a background image, and users configure to be read title tags are not (at least that's my understanding), I'm wondering the best way to indicate to the screen reader user that a link goes to an external site. Or is it even important? Do they get that from the href value?

Thank you,

Angela French
Internet Specialist
State Board for Community and Technical Colleges
360-704-4316
<EMAIL REMOVED>
http://www.checkoutacollege.com<;http://www.checkoutacollege.com/>;