About Us

Ability Online is an extraordinary and absolutely free monitored and supportive online community.

Here, young people with disabilities and illnesses connect with all kinds of possibilities that address their needs for friendship, support and information.  They meet and chat with other people like them in a virtual world that transcends boundaries and barriers. They make friends, get tips from mentors, and freely participate in an atmosphere of collaboration, companionship and support.  

And this remarkable community also provides many benefits to parents, family members and others who want to make a difference in enabling and enriching the lives of those they know and love.

Note: The information provided is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between a client and the professionals from whom her/she is receiving treatment/service.

What Ability Online is not is a highly trafficked, public online area (we do no host any form of advertisement on our member pages), where anyone can come and go and chat and boast and bully… and engage in all those dubious behaviors the Internet is accused of breeding.  Ability Online is available 24 hours a day and is monitored by caring, responsible volunteers who share in the dream of a place where worries are set aside, heartaches are healed, and good things happen to those with hardship in their lives.

Our Vision

"To put children and youth with disabilities or chronic illness in touch with the world."

We never thought that we would outgrow that vision.  But If you have read any of our pages, you would agree that we have not only fulfilled our Vision but have surpassed it in so many ways. 

• we have connected thousands of kids to one another for friendship and support
• we have global membership
• we are a social network for our kids
• we are a research portal. Renowned institutions such as the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, therapists and other health professionals from across Canada are using our platform for research
• we are a special education resource.  we are a therapeutic tool
• we are a parent support network
• we have Homework Help for our kids
• we are a fun and safe place to "hang out"

So here we are, do we dare to dream again?  Yes, it is time to dream again, time to set a new vision, our kids depend on this, our kids expect it from us, even demand it of us.  But, this will take a bit of creative thinking, as we re-evaluate our goals and priorities, and look to the future.  The internet today has opened a whole new world of possibilities.

So join with us in creating a whole new world of possibilities, expand our horizons.

Our Beliefs and Values

We believe:

• that every child has the right to play, to learn, and to be part of society
• that computer literacy opens doors for all youth, but it is particularly critical for those with disabilities as it allows them to participate as equals
• in learning from each other’s experiences and offering our members the fullest spectrum of first-hand information possible
• that every individual has a right to a forum, in which to develop their abilities, to be recognized for their abilities, and to be treated with dignity and respect
• that people have a right to equal treatment with respect to facilities, goods and services, and membership in Ability Online, without discrimination of human diversity
• that no member is required to publically disclose any disability or illness in order to access Ability Online
• that a courteous, positive and sensitive atmosphere online will actively be promoted at all times

Our Mission

Back then, along with our Vision, our Mission was:

"To enhance the lives of children with disabilities or illness by providing an online community of friendship and support."

And just like our Vision, we have not only fulfilled our Mission, but have surpassed it in so many ways. 

Again, this will take a bit of creative thinking, as we build our new website and look to the future for new direction. 

I guess you could say that our new temporary mission is to create our Vision and set out the Mission that will allow us to expand and move into new frontiers.

Take a trip through our site, and see what (and who) we stand for.  And why.