Our History

On April 27-28, 1996, a group of parents of children with disabilities and community providers gathered to hear about The Maine Meeting Place and Colorado Meeting Place. Lou McIntosh from Maine, and Bruce Thomas from Colorado discussed their computer networks for disability issues.

Following their presentation, the group again met to discuss what it would take to have such a network in Arizona. The group, later taking the name Arizona Families On-Line, expanded to include community participants active in or knowledgeable about computer networking.

Sub-committees were formed for:

• defining consumers and their needs
• defining values
• defining the need for training and technical assistance as well as who might provide such training
• looking at resources
• addressing system design

Arizona Families On-Line has continued to meet monthly and works toward a establishing a complete network in Arizona to assist all families and individuals with disabilities.

Phase II of our project saw the establishment of the AFOL website which contains links to disability discussion bulletin boards, vendor web pages, legal information, assistive technology bulletin boards, and many others.

Phase III of the project brought AFOL into union with the Easter Seal Society of Arizona, Inc. Computer Placement Program (CPP). The purpose of CPP is to place donated and refurbished computer hardware and/or software with children and adults with disabilities without regard to age, race, color or creed.

This phase of AFOL is to develop a statewide comprehensive system to provide equipment and access to the Internet to those who do not have the resources, i.e.; equipment, adaptive devices, training, and technical support. The AZ Technology Access Program has made this possible.

We sincerely wish to thank all our supporters, volunteers, and sister groups who have worked so hard to make this idea a successful reality.