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Links

Summary

There are various ways to link to external websites or other course items.

Relevant VLE site design principles

  • 3.4 Essential: Site and materials content is accessible.
  • 3.6 Essential: Links and materials titles describe the destination or content.

Links can be added as a standalone item within the Course Content area. This is recommended for reference materials or other content that doesn't require context, such as student handbooks.

A weekly learning module containing a standalone link item along with other content Documents

  1. Hover over where you want to add the link and click the plus icon.
  2. Choose Create then select Link.
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  3. Edit the title to show the link name, make it visible to students, enter the relevant URL, add a brief description, and click Save.
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Watch a demonstration of adding a standalone Link item:

Adding links in Ultra [YouTube]

Within a Document or other content item, Links can be integrated into text content. This gives context to the linked content and makes it easier to navigate content.

Decorative

  1. If adding a hyperlink to pre-existing text, highlight that text.
  2. Press the Link tool in the Text Editor
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  3. Enter destination URL and a descriptive link (not "click here" or "open link") and press Insert
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Watch a demonstration of adding a hyperlink:

Adding hyperlinks in Ultra[YouTube].

These tips are important for assistive technology (eg. a screenreader can pick out just the links from a page) and also make your content more readable:

  • Describe the link content, eg: How to write better link text.
  • Don’t use generic text like ‘Click here’ or ‘more information’ - the link text must make sense by itself.
  • Don't enter the raw URL as text.
  • Don’t use the same link text for different URLs on one page.

Use Course Links to add a standalone link to another item within the same Ultra site. For example, you could link to an item in the Assessment section in the week it should be completed.

A Course Link appears in the Course Content area with a small link icon. Editing or deleting this link does not change the original item.

Decorative

  1. Hover over where you want to add the link and click the plus icon.
  2. Choose Create then select Link.
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  3. Select Course Link.
  4. Enter a keyword and/or select relevant Category.
  5. Click Search.
  6. Select the relevant item from results. You can adapt the display name and add a description for the link item (this does not change the original item).
  7. Click Save

Decorative