Making Links Focusable for Accessibility
Accessible web design ensures everyone can use your website, regardless of their abilities. One crucial aspect is making links focusable, especially when they’re part of larger text blocks.
Why Focusable Links are Important
- Screen Reader Users: Screen readers rely on focusable elements to navigate content. Non-focusable links are essentially invisible to them.
- Keyboard Navigation: Users who navigate with the keyboard need clear focus indicators to understand where they are on the page.
- Improved Usability: Even for sighted users, focusable links make it easier to distinguish clickable elements from regular text.
Common Issues and Solutions
Issue: Links within paragraphs
When a link is part of a sentence, it can be difficult for assistive technologies to identify it. Example:
<p>Read more about <a href="https://example.com">web accessibility</a> in our blog post.</p>
Solution: Use the <span> element
<p>Read more about <span><a href="https://example.com">web accessibility</a></span> in our blog post.</p>
This separates the link from the surrounding text for better focus management.
Issue: Links within lists
Links inside list items can also present challenges for accessibility.
<ul>
<li><a href="https://example.com">Learn about accessibility</a></li>
<li><a href="https://example.com">Get accessibility resources</a></li>
</ul>
Solution: Wrap the list items in <span> elements
<ul>
<li><span><a href="https://example.com">Learn about accessibility</a></span></li>
<li><span><a href="https://example.com">Get accessibility resources</a></span></li>
</ul>
Additional Techniques
- Use descriptive link text: Avoid generic phrases like “Click here.” Instead, clearly indicate the target of the link (e.g., “Read more about web accessibility”).
- Consider ARIA attributes: In complex scenarios, ARIA attributes like “aria-label” or “aria-describedby” can enhance focusability.
Testing for Focusability
It’s crucial to test your website using accessibility tools and techniques to ensure that links are correctly focusable:
- Screen reader testing: Use screen readers like NVDA or JAWS to navigate the page and verify links are read aloud.
- Keyboard navigation testing: Manually navigate the page using the Tab key to check if focus lands on links as expected.
Summary
Creating accessible websites requires careful attention to details like link focusability. By using appropriate HTML structures, descriptive link text, and testing, you can ensure that all users can easily access and interact with your content.