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How does EZ Access work?

EZ Access combines simple interactive techniques in ways that work together robustly and flexibly to accommodate users. This allows more people to use the product, according to their own ability, preference, or circumstance. For example, a product that has only a touch screen may be difficult or impossible for many people to use. With the addition of just a few buttons and voice output, the product becomes usable by people who cannot see, cannot read, cannot reach the screen, or cannot make fine movements with their arms, hands, or fingers. The addition of captions further extends the product to people who cannot hear.

What kinds of electronic products does EZ Access work with?

EZ Access can be implemented on almost any interactive electronic device. It can be applied to a product that has a touch screen, a projection screen, a regular screen, a very small screen, or no screen at all. EZ Access was implemented first in public environment ITMs (information and transaction machines), including kiosks, fare machines, and ATMs. It is now being applied to a wide variety of devices, including cellular phones and other personal portable electronics.

What are some of the EZ features?

• Voice + 4 button navigation gives complete access to any onscreen controls and content. This feature also provides feedback and information in a logical way such that it can be used by both sighted and non-sighted users. Typical items include onscreen text, images and controls.
• Touch talk lets users touch onscreen text (and graphics), to hear them read (or described) aloud.
• Button help provides a way for users to instantly identify any button on the device. At any time, a person can see and/or hear any button's name and status. They can also get more information about what that button can be used for.
• Layered help provides context sensitive information about using the device. If a person needs more help, they can press the help button repeatedly, receiving more information each time.
• ShowCaptions provides a visual presentation of any text or sounds created by the device that are not already visually displayed.

Do I need to have or add any special buttons on my product to use EZ Access?

In some cases a product might have existing buttons that can also be used to support an approved EZ Access implementation. For example, the phone shown below in Figure 1 has built-in 'up', 'down', and 'ok' buttons. These can be used to navigate the phone's menus, operate its features, and support all EZ Access functionality. Applications like those with a touch screen typically require adding an EZ Access button set like the ones shown below in Figures 2 with more complex or page /booklet oriented kiosks using one like Figure 3.

Visit http://trace.wisc.edu/ez/ for more information about EZ Access.