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Re: best method for linking to external sites

for

From: Angela French
Date: Apr 13, 2011 2:42PM

Our content creators use Contribute. It may prove easier to them to associate a style with a link that to insert an image. This is unclear at the moment. Just kinda covering all my bases, so to speak.

-----Original Message-----
From: <EMAIL REMOVED> [mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ] On Behalf Of <EMAIL REMOVED>
Sent: Wednesday, April 13, 2011 1:28 PM
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Subject: Re: [WebAIM] best method for linking to external sites

Angela,

Is there a reason that the icon needs to be a background image? It would appear to me that an image used to convey information should live in the informational layer of the page. This makes the solution simple, include the image in the link and add alternative text.

Mike Moore


-----Original Message-----
From: <EMAIL REMOVED> [mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ] On Behalf Of Angela French
Sent: Wednesday, April 13, 2011 3:08 PM
To: 'WebAim Forum ( <EMAIL REMOVED> )'
Subject: [WebAIM] best method for linking to external sites

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/>;