Checkpoint 3.1 - Core

Sighted users scan the web pages by quickly browsing through the content headings, lists and hyperlinks. Visually impaired users, on the other hand, utilise the screen reader functionality of parsing all headings, lists and links into separate lists thus allowing users to scan the information instead of listening to all content of the page.

Aggregated links which are read to the users by screen readers are taken out of content and, therefore, have to make sense on their own. Links like click here, more, next, etc. make no sense when read out of context and will render the web page unusable. Hyperlinking a URL is also not allowed because the URL does not describe anything useful about the link itself.

Requirement

Text that forms the hyperlink for an anchor tag must be descriptive of where the link goes to.

Checking Tool

• Internet Explorer - AIS Toolbar: Doc Info > List Links [New Window]
  Analyse links to ensure they are meaningful when read out of context.

Information Source

The original source of this information is located on the W3C web site  (www.w3.org/TR/WCAG10-TECHS/#tech-meaningful-links)