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Re: Automated way for websites to track if a user is using assistive tech?

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From: deborah.kaplan@suberic.net
Date: Feb 25, 2013 4:42PM

On Mon, 25 Feb 2013, Will Anderson wrote:
> Is there a way for websites to track if a user is accessing their site
> using assistive technology like we can track which browser someone is using?

Will, there's not a reliable way to track this. The limits of collecting this data automatically are techological, but users of assistive tech also frequently are very hostile to the idea of automated data gathering for a number of valid reasons (inlucding but not limited to privacy concerns, the belief that users of assistive tech will be shunted to a different website, and others).

However, you can use existing data gathering instruments such as the webaim screen reader survey to come up with some ballpark numbers, and in some cases asking your userbase yourelf is the place to start.

-Deborah Kaplan
Accessibility team co-lead
Dreamwidth Studios LLC