University of Maryland
TRACE RERC
Technology R&D to Increase Accessibility for Community Living, Education & Employment

EZ Access

The Trace R&D Center offers the following kiosk and touchscreen-based information and assistance for developers, purchasers, and for users with disabilities:

  1. We explain how to implement EZ Access® technologies to provide cross-disability seamless access.
  2. We provide expertise and technical assistance related to the purchase of accessible Kiosks or ATMs.
  3. We are a university research center – not a commercial entity.
  4. We have been working on accessible technology for over 45 years.
  5. We have partnered with Assistra Technologies to license, certify, and commercial support EZ Access.

In addition to an extensive FAQ designed to answer questions from developers, procurement specialists, and the public, we offer the following overview.

  • EZ Access is a simple set of interface enhancements which can be applied in the design of electronic products and devices so that they can be used by more people including those with disabilities.
  • EZ Access is a proven way of making touchscreen-based devices cross-disability accessible and is currently used in thousands of kiosks and transaction machines across the country.
  • EZ Access involves a tactile keypad (square or linear) and software enhancements.
  • EZ Access is a low-cost strategy for complying with regulatory requirements (e.g., Section 508, ADA).
  • EZ Access enhancements can be applied to a wide range of interactive electronic systems, from public information and transaction machines such as touchscreen kiosks to personal handheld devices like cell phones.
  • By using EZ Access, developers can create products and devices that are usable by more people, in a wider range of environments and contexts.
  • Developers who are interested in implementation of EZ Access fitted to meet their specific conditions and contexts (or certification of an EZ Access implementation) should contact Assistra Technologies.
  • Certified implementations of EZ Access will meet ADA and 508. See EZ Access Implementations for examples.
  • EZ® and EZ Access® are registered trademarks; licensing and trademark information can be obtained from the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) or Assistra Technologies, which has partnered with WARF and the Trace Center.
    To see how the technology works, view the brief video on this page. Additional details are in Frequently Asked Questions.

Funding for this work has been provided by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR), U.S. Department of Education, under grants H133E980008, H133E030012, and H133E080022. NIDRR is now the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) (link is external) and is part of the Administration for Community Living in the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services.

 

  • Maryland Initiative for Digital Accessibility

    The TRACE RERC is an active participant in MIDA, a new organization focused on the design of technology products that are "born-accessible."

    Raising the Floor

    The primary development partner of the TRACE RERC since 2013, the team at the nonprofit Raising the Floor is continuing the development and deployment of Morphic and AT-on-Demand, and will partner on several development activities in the new RERC grant.