History - AzTAP

The federal government recognized the importance of assistive technology in helping people with disabilities become fully engaged as early as 1988 by enacting legislation now known as the Assistive Technology Act. This led to the US Department of Education’s ability to administer funding for states to develop their own assistive technology programs. This funding* has allowed every state and US territory to offer a program which provides assistive technology support to its residents.

Created in 1994, AzTAP is Arizona’s Assistive Technology Act Program. Since Arizona’s Governor has designated Northern Arizona University as the lead agency for the program, we are a part of the Institute for Human Development at Northern Arizona University. While our office is located in central Phoenix, our services are available statewide and our staff regularly travels to all regions of the state.

Like all Assistive Technology Act Programs, AzTAP is committed to improving the availability of assistive technology to individuals with disabilities and their families. To that end, we offer a wide variety of comprehensive, statewide activities that make assistive technology devices and services more available and accessible to anyone who may need them in our state. Our programming emphasizes direct services to consumers (persons with disabilities/family members) and service providers from the fields of education, vocational rehabilitation, health care and human services. We also work to raise awareness about assistive technology to the general public.