Today we are launching a survey to learn about what assistive technology you use to access GOV.UK.
Assistive technology software provides access to computers, smartphones and tablets for those with significant vision, hearing, dexterity and mobility, language and communication needs.
Completing the survey will tell us about the devices you have, the sort of assistive software you've got, and which web browser you use. Your answers will help us ensure your software continues to work with our website and digital services.
The survey will remain open until the end of June and your answers are completely anonymous.
Who should complete the survey
Anyone who uses assistive technology to access GOV.UK like:
- screen readers (for example, JAWS and VoiceOver)
- screen magnifiers (for example, ZoomText and Supernova)
- voice input applications (for example, Dragon)
- literacy software (for example, ReadandWrite Gold)
The survey also gives you the opportunity to tell us about any accessibility barriers you experience when using GOV.UK.
Why we've built the survey
There are now a wide range of digital access tools. Some are commercially available, others are free, and most devices now have accessibility built right in. Unfortunately, assistive software does not leave a footprint when visiting a website. This means we do not know what assistive technology helps you access GOV.UK.
Having so many access solutions brings challenges for us, as there are more things we need to make sure GOV.UK works with. The results will help us find areas we need to focus on, for example, the most popular screen reader and version. This will help us make GOV.UK continue to work for those users, and tell us how far we need to go back to support older versions.
Getting help to complete the survey
If you need help completing the survey, or need it in an alternative format, then email us at accessibility@digital.cabinet-office.gov.uk.
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