How to Use this Site
Disability.gov is a federal government Web site that provides quick and easy access to comprehensive information about disability-related programs, services, laws and benefits. Through the site, people with disabilities, their families, veterans, educators, employers, service providers and others are connected to thousands of resources, updated daily, from federal, state and local governments, educational institutions and non-profit organizations.
The site offers a number of ways for you to find this information, including:
- Search & Advanced Search
- Information by Topic
- Information by State
- "I want to" Section
- Site Map
Search & Advanced Search
One way you can locate specific resources is to type a word or phrase into the Search box on the top left-hand side of any page on Disability.gov. Click the Search button to the right of the box to receive your results.
The Advanced Search option allows you to search by topic, audience and state. To access the Advanced Search, click on the word Advanced located to the left of the Search box. After typing in the keyword(s) into the Search box, check the desired options under the Topics, Audience and Location lists. You can also click the Results per Page drop-down menu, located on the left-hand side of the Search box at the bottom of the page, to change how many results will appear (i.e. 10, 20, 30 or 50). Then click Search to the right of the Results per Page menu to receive the search results.
Information by Topic
Disability.gov organizes resources into 10 topic areas: benefits, civil rights, community life, education, emergency preparedness, employment, health, housing, technology and transportation. Each main topic is further divided into subfolders. First, you should click on a topic from the Information by Topic sidebar, located on the left-hand side of any page on Disability.gov. The subfolders will appear directly under the main topic on the sidebar. You can then click on a subfolder to access the resources about that subject.
For example, click on the Employment folder to access the Employment section of the site. Then click on a subfolder, such as Jobs & Career Planning to find more detailed information. The Jobs & Career Planning subfolder includes resources about career counseling, job training and vocational rehabilitation, among other topics.
Information by State
You can also locate state and local resources by conducting a search using the Information by State menu, located below the Information by Topic sidebar on the left-hand side of any page on Disability.gov. First, you should choose a state from the Information by State drop-down menu and click the Go button to the right of the drop-down menu. Then you should click on a subject of interest from the list to further refine their search. Once a subject is selected (i.e. benefits, housing), you will find related state and local resources.
I want to...
The I want to section, located in the middle of Disability.gov's home page, allows you to learn more information about a particular situation, such as I want to "apply for scholarships" or "find housing." Currently there are 10 I want to options that cover the topics most frequently asked by Disability.gov visitors. Clicking on the phrase More Options, located at the bottom right-hand side of the I want to section, shows additional topics that will soon be added to the site.
Site Map
You can find a complete list of all pages, folders and subfolders on Disability.gov by using the Site Map. The Site Map link is located at the bottom left-hand corner of any page on Disability.gov. You may choose a page, folder or subfolder link to be taken directly to that section of the site.
Personalization Features
Disability.gov recently added personalization features to encourage interaction and feedback with and among visitors. Please read How to Use Disability.gov's Personalization Features to learn more.
Social Media Tools
Stay Connected
Disability.gov offers several tools to help you keep current and informed about new information and resources on Disability.gov. These tools are located in the Stay Connected box on the top, right-hand side of Disability.gov's home page. You can sign up to receive e-mail updates about new information and resources, subscribe to the Disability Connection (Disability.gov's quarterly newsletter), bookmark and share a favorite page or subscribe to a Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feed.
To sign up for e-mail updates, click on the Receive E-mail Updates link located in the Stay Connected box. Then type an e-mail address, and click the Subscribe button located to the right of the box.
To subscribe to one of Disability.gov's RSS Feeds, click on the RSS Feed option located in the Stay Connected box. Then click on a topic, such as "News" or "Civil Rights." A disclaimer page will appear stating that the feed contains frequently updated content. Next, click on the Subscribe to this feed link located on the top, left-hand side of the page. A pop-up box will appear, allowing you to create a name for the feed and to choose a "Create In" folder using the drop-down menu, located under the Name box. You should then click the Subscribe button at the bottom of the pop-up box to finish setting up the RSS feed.
To subscribe to Disability.gov's quarterly newsletter, Disability Connection, click the Subscribe to Newsletter link located in the Stay Connected box. Then enter an e-mail address and click the Subscribe button located to the right of the box.
To bookmark and share a favorite page, scroll over the Bookmark and Share link located in the Stay Connected box. A pop-up box will appear directly underneath the link. Choose a "sharing" application from the approximately 225 choices (i.e. e-mail, Facebook, Blogger). A pop-up box or page will appear explaining how to bookmark and share for that particular application (the steps for each application may differ).
Suggest A Resource
You can recommend new resources you think should be added to Disability.gov by using the Suggest A Resource function. To use this tool, click the Suggest A Resource button located on the top, right-hand side of Disability.gov's home page. Before submitting a resource, please read Disability.gov's Link Policy at the top of the Suggest A Resource page. In order to submit a resource, you need to include a page title, a page URL/Web address and enter the CAPTCHA words provided. (CAPTCHA ensures that a person is submitting the suggestion rather than a computer.) You may also include a description of the resource and choose the appropriate topic and applicable audience(s) for the suggested resource.
The Suggest A Resource tool is not an e-mail account. The feature does not capture e-mail addresses from visitors who suggest resources, so site administrators have no way to respond to questions or comments sent through the Suggest A Resource tool. Visitors who have questions or comments should e-mail them to disability@dol.gov.
Link to Us
If you wish to place a link to Disability.gov on your Web site, you should visit the Link to Us section. Click on the Link to Us button, located on the right-hand side of the home page under the Stay Connected box, to find specific directions about adding a Disability.gov link.
Read our Blog
Disability.gov's blog provides information on topics of interest to the disability community. To access Disability.gov's blog, click the Read our Blog button located on the right-hand side of the Disability.gov home page. You can read current blog entries, submit comments, view past blog entries archived by month/year and view blog entries by topic.
Follow Us on Twitter
Twitter is another tool Disability.gov uses to interact. The Disability.gov Twitter feed (www.twitter.com/disabilitygov) is updated daily with new information and resources. Although you may sign up for a Twitter account, Disability.gov's Twitter feed is public, so it may be viewed without a Twitter membership. To read Disability.gov's current tweets, click the Follow Us on Twitter button, located on the right-hand side of the home page.
News & Events
Disability.gov also offers a News & Events section located at the bottom of Disability.gov's home page. This section provides the latest disability-related news and upcoming events. Click on More News & Events located on the bottom, left-hand side of the News & Events section for additional headlines.
Recent Blog Posts
You can view recent blog posts on Disability.Blog by selecting the Recent Blog Posts tab in the News & Events section, located at the bottom of Disability.gov's home page. This section lists the last five blog posts and includes a link to view More Disability.gov Blog Posts.
Other Helpful Features
Text Size
Disability.gov recognizes that you may have different viewing preferences. On the top right-hand side of any page on Disability.gov, there is a Text Size feature that allows users to increase or decrease the font size on the site. Next to the phrase Text Size, there are three letter "A" buttons ranging in size from small to medium to large. Click on the preferred "A" button to automatically change the text size on the site.
High Contrast
Disability.gov recognizes that its graphics may be difficult for some visitors to view. Located at the top, right-hand side of each page (to the right of Text Size feature) on Disability.gov, is a drop-down menu that allows users to switch the site from Full Graphics to High Contrast. The High Contrast option helps people with visual disabilities tell the difference between background images and text. Choose the best option and click the SET button, located to the right of the drop-down menu.
Hide or Show Descriptions
The Hide Descriptions option is located on the top, right-hand side of every results page on Disability.gov. Clicking on the Hide Descriptions link will remove all resource descriptions, so that only the resource titles will appear on the page. To return to the default setting and to show both resource titles and descriptions, click the Show Resources link at the top of the page.
Listed Alphabetically / List by Popularity
Resources on every results page on the site may be listed alphabetically or by popularity. The default setting is Listed Alphabetically. Clicking the List by Popularity link, at the top, right-hand side of the page, will organize the resources based on how often they are viewed by Disability.gov visitors.
Social Media Alternate Formats
Disability.gov recognizes that third-party social media platforms and Web sites may not be accessible to all users, including those with disabilities. Therefore, any information posted by Disability.gov on any of its social media accounts will be available on the site. Please visit the Social Media section, located in the Disability.gov Press Room, for alternate formats.
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