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In the context of using software that actually reads the web pages for the
visually impaired, the software compiles a list of links that are on that
page and reads it to the user. If there are three instances of "click here"
or "more", how will that user be able to distinguish one link from another?
And even if they were able to distinguish one link from another, what would
tell that user where that link is taking them? Link names must be specific
and unique to each web page to aid in accessibility for visually impaired
users.
-----Original Message-----
From: John Locke [mailto:mail -at- freelock -dot- com]
Sent: Friday, January 05, 2001 9:21 AM
To: TECHWR-L
Subject: RE: Click here?
Rima Ruhman wrote:
>
> Besides possibly being "archaic" or "vague", using "click here"
> or "more" is
> also discriminatory to the visually impaired. Screen readers
> generate "link
> lists" (listing all links on the page) the visually impaired use
> to navigate
> within a page. When the link reads "click here" or "more" the visually
> impaired user cannot find the information he/she needs on that page. So
> instead of reading "click here" or "more", the link will read "Description
> of Item XYZ", "Page 5"
>
> Government websites have already begun to make their website accessible to
> the visually impaired and cannot use non-specific link names on their
> sites...
Now that's interesting. I've actually heard the opposite: that using a
standard term like "click here" actually helps accessibility, because
impaired users who have a different way of accessing the link still have
some method of "clicking" it, even if they don't physically click a button.
And there's no mistaking the text, missing the link--everybody can tell it's
a link. This in the context of writing help for Microsoft.
I've played around a bit with Voice Recognition software, and when surfing
the web, you use the word "click" to get the software to follow a link...
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