WebAIM - Web Accessibility In Mind

E-mail List Archives

Re: what % of web users use screenreaders?

for

From: Birkir Rúnar Gunnarsson
Date: Oct 21, 2010 9:42AM

Hi

You probably know this already, but in most presentations I've seen
the number of disabled users (with some type of disability that
requires Assistive Technology) is between 12 and 20% in a typical
European or American population.
15% seems to be the number most often mentioned. The number should
only go up as the population gets older and older people start using
computers for their practical and communication needs.
Therefore the use of Assistive Technologies seems bound to be on the
rise if anything.
hth
-B

On 10/21/10, Andrews, David B B (DEED) < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
> Hi:
>
> I don't know the numbers, off the top of my head. And, I don't want to read
> too much into your question, or make assumptions -- however, I would be
> reticent about basing accessibility decisions on those numbers alone.
>
> First, I suspect the numbers of screen reader users are lower than many
> people think. Blindness is a low incidence disability, and we will always
> loose at number games. Next, there are other disabilities out there that
> can benefit from accessibility efforts. I am a screen reader user --
> nevertheless I would say that accessibility is bigger than us!
>
> Finally, there are lots of benefits to lots of different users -- not just
> the disabled, for doing accessibility. So just doing it because of the
> numbers game is a losing proposition!
>
> Dave
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: <EMAIL REMOVED>
> [mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ] On Behalf Of Katherine Mancuso
> Sent: Wednesday, October 20, 2010 6:01 PM
> To: <EMAIL REMOVED>
> Subject: [WebAIM] what % of web users use screenreaders?
>
> Hi WebAIMers,
>
> I'm sure this is an elementary question, but I'm having difficulty finding
> information on it. The WebAIM screenreader survey doesn't cover this issue.
>
> What percentage of web users use screenreaders?
>
> I would also be interested in statistics on other common ATs - such as what
> percentage of users use primarily keyboard access, screen magnification,
> speech-to-text.
>
> thanks,
> Katherine
>
> --
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Katherine Mancuso: crusader of community art, social technology, &
> disability
>
> Current work:
> <redacted>
>
> Research:
> Center for Assistive Technology & Environmental Access (http://www.catea.org
> )
> Georgia Tech, Digital Media (http://dm.gatech.edu)
>
> Community:
> The Vesuvius Group: metaverse community builders (
> http://www.thevesuviusgroup.com)
> Gimp Girl Community Liaison/Research Fellow (http://www.gimpgirl.com)
> Alternate ROOTS: arts*community*activism (http://www.alternateroots.org)
>
> Contact in the web, the metaverse, the world:
> http://twitter.com/musingvirtual
> http://muse.dreamwidth.org
> http://www.linkedin.com/in/kathymancuso
> SL: Muse Carmona
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>