- Success Criterion 2.4.4
- Conformance level A
Link’s Explanatory Text Separated by an Unrelated Ad or Insert
2.4.4 — Link Purpose (In Context)
Scenario
Setting
A language-learning app's lesson screen
What’s wrong
Teaser links where context paragraph is *after* an unrelated ad/insert breaking programmatic association.
Example
<p>You left off on Unit 4: Ordering food at a restaurant.</p>
<div class="ad-banner">Upgrade to Premium!</div>
<a href="/lesson/continue">Continue</a> Why it matters
A screen reader landing on Continue hears it right after an unrelated ad, with the actual lesson description now out of programmatic reach.
How to test
Check whether the explanatory paragraph for a teaser link sits after an unrelated ad/insert in the DOM: if so, the programmatic association is broken and it fails.
How to fix
Third-party inserts should never land between a link and the text that explains it.
<div class="lesson-resume">
<p>You left off on Unit 4: Ordering food at a restaurant.</p>
<a href="/lesson/continue">Continue Unit 4: Ordering food</a>
</div>
<div class="ad-banner">Upgrade to Premium!</div> Outcome
A learner hears exactly which unit Continue resumes, with no ad interrupting the context.
Who is affected
Screen reader users can't connect the Continue link back to which lesson it resumes once an ad breaks the association.
Learn more
- Understanding Understanding document (opens in a new tab)
Related scenarios
- Link’s Purpose Explained Only in Unrelated Page Text
- Image-Only Link or Button With No Accessible Name
- Repeated ‘Click Here’ Links With No Way to Tell Them Apart
- Multiple ‘Download’ Links With No File Name or Type Given
- Icon-Only Link With No Accessible Name at All
- Link Text That’s Just a Long, Meaningless Tracking URL