Trace R&D Center

A pioneering research center focused on accessibility and assistive technology, originally established at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1971 and later affiliated with the University of Maryland. Founded and long directed by Gregg Vanderheiden, the Trace Center developed foundational accessibility features including StickyKeys, MouseKeys, and other keyboard accessibility options that were incorporated into operating systems starting with Apple in the 1980s. The center also created AccessDOS for IBM, contributed to accessibility standards development, and initiated the Raising the Floor and Global Public Inclusive Infrastructure (GPII) projects. Trace has been instrumental in shifting accessibility from add-on products to built-in operating system features.