Creating Accessible Links

Target Audience: Chaffey College Faculty, Staff, & Students (Beginner Level)

Software: Microsoft Word 365 (Enterprise)

Goal: Create web links that screen readers can understand (Title II Compliance).

The Concept: When you put a website link in your document, you want to avoid pasting the long, ugly internet address (like www.chaffey.edu/forms/29384). Instead, you want to hide that address inside a normal English phrase (like "Student Forms"). This makes it cleaner for everyone and understandable for blind students.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Get your Web Address ready.
   • Open your web browser (Chrome, Edge, Safari).
   • Go to the website you want to link to.
   • Click the address bar at the very top of the browser window.
   • Right-click the address and select Copy (or press Ctrl + C).
2. Switch back to your Word document.
3. Type your "Descriptive Text."
• Type the phrase that describes the destination.
• Example: Type "Visit the Chaffey College Homepage."
4. Select the text.
   • Use your mouse to click and drag across the words "Chaffey College Homepage" so they are highlighted in gray.
5. Open the Link tool.
   • Keep your mouse hovering over the highlighted words.
   • Right-Click once. A menu will appear.
   • Look for the option that says Link (it usually has an icon of a globe or chain link). Click it.
   • Note: A box titled "Insert Hyperlink" will pop up in the middle of your screen.
6. Paste the Address.
   • Look at the bottom of that pop-up box for a long white field labeled Address:.
   • Click inside that field.
   • Right-click and select Paste (or press Ctrl + V). You should see the http://... address appear there.
7. Finish.
   • Click the OK button.
   • Verification: Your text ("Chaffey College Homepage") should now turn blue and have an underline. This means it is active.