Techniques for WCAG 2.0

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# G53: Identifying the purpose of a link using link text combined with the text of the enclosing sentence

## Applicability

All technologies that contain links.

This technique relates to:

- Success Criterion 2.4.4 (Link Purpose (In Context))
  - How to Meet 2.4.4 (Link Purpose (In Context))
  - Understanding Success Criterion 2.4.4 (Link Purpose (In Context))

## User Agent and Assistive Technology Support Notes

JAWS 5.0 and later includes the following keystrokes:

- alt+leftArrow: read previous sentence

- alt+rightArrow: read next sentence

- alt+NumPad 5: read current sentence

- Ctrl+NumPad5: read current paragraph

Window-Eyes 5.5 has hotkeys to read the current sentence and current paragraph.

To surf the internet with WindowEyes you must be in browse mode. Current sentence and current paragraph hot keys do not work in browse mode in version 6.1.

The factory default settings for reading surrounding link context are as follows:

Desktop settings:

- Character = CTRL-NUMPAD-LEFT ARROW

- Word = CTRL-NUMPAD-RIGHT ARROW

- Line = CTRL-NUMPAD-CENTER

- Sentence = Not available in Browse mode

- (Next Sentence command is undefined by default on Desktop mode but the next line is the DOWN Arrow.)

- Next Paragraph = P

- Prior Paragraph = Shift P

- Current Paragraph = Not Available in Browse mode

Laptop

- Character = ALT-SHIFT-LESS THAN

- Word Prior = ALT-SHIFT-J

- Word = ALT-SHIFT-K

- Word Next = ALT-SHIFT-L

- Sentence Prior = ALT-SHIFT-7

- Sentence = unavailable in browse mode

- Sentence Next = unavailable in browse mode

- Paragraph = Undefined on Laptop by default

- Line Prior = ALT-SHIFT-U

- Line = ALT-SHIFT-I

- Line Next = ALT-SHIFT-O

## Description

The objective of this technique is to identify the purpose of a link from the link and its sentence context. The sentence enclosing the link provides context for an otherwise unclear link. The description lets a user distinguish this link from links in the Web page that lead to other destinations and helps the user determine whether to follow the link. Note that simply providing the URI of the destination is generally not sufficiently descriptive.

Note: These descriptions will be most useful to the user if the additional information needed to understand the link precedes the link. If the additional information follows the link, there can be confusion and difficulty for screen reader users who are reading through the page in order (top to bottom).

## Examples

### Example 1:

A Web page contains the sentence "To advertise on this page, click here."

Although the link phrase 'click here' is not sufficient to understand the link, the information needed precedes the link in the same sentence.

### Example 2:

A Web page contains the sentence "The first pilgrims came to America on the Mayflower."

### Example 3:

In the news summary containing the sentence "The Smallville Times reports that the School Board chose a 2007 school calendar that starts on August 27.", the words "reports that" are a link to an article in the Smallville Times about the School Board meeting.

Note: Although this example satisfies the Success Criterion, putting information needed to understand the link after the link in this way is awkward for those who are reading through the document with a screen reader.

## Resources

No resources available for this technique.

## Related Techniques

- G91: Providing link text that describes the purpose of a link
- H2: Combining adjacent image and text links for the same resource
- H30: Providing link text that describes the purpose of a link for anchor elements
- H33: Supplementing link text with the title attribute
- H77: Identifying the purpose of a link using link text combined with its enclosing list item
- H78: Identifying the purpose of a link using link text combined with its enclosing paragraph
- H79: Identifying the purpose of a link using link text combined with its enclosing table cell and associated table headings
- H80: Identifying the purpose of a link using link text combined with the preceding heading element
- H81: Identifying the purpose of a link in a nested list using link text combined with the parent list item under which the list is nested
- C7: Using CSS to hide a portion of the link text
- ARIA1: Using Accessible Rich Internet Application describedby property to provide a descriptive, programmatically determined label

## Tests

### Procedure

For each link in the content that uses this technique:

1. Check that the link is part of a sentence

2. Check that text of the link combined with the text of its enclosing sentence describes the purpose of the link

### Expected Results

- The above checks are true.

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