Disability in the Blogosphere

Disability and rehabilitation are hot topics throughout the blogosphere! Following are just a few brief comments about a few of my favorite blogging platforms and some of the blogs you can find on them.

Blogger
According to the website at https://www.blogger.com/, Blogger started in 1999 as an independent company, although now Google now owns it. Blogger is currently available in 41 languages. “Disability Blogger” at http://www.disabilityblogger.blogspot.com/ has timely blog updates, and “My Big Noise” at http://mybignoise.blogspot.com/ has a great take on music videos and the health care crisis with “Boyfriend with Health Care”.

Type Pad
Typepad, located at http://www.typepad.com/, started in 2003. The service publicizes itself as the “best blogging tool for professionals and small businesses”. Like other hosted blog sites, Typepad is easy to use without much technical knowledge or skill. Disability activist group “Justice for All” and the American Association of People with Disabilities maintains a Typepad blog, the “JFActivist” as do many other individuals with disabilities and disability and rehabilitation related organizations.

WordPress
As with other hosted blogging platforms, WordPress offers a set of design templates, and its ease of use allows bloggers to have a functional site quickly. The disability and rehabilitation communities are well represented on the site, with more than 3000 results directly related to people with disabilities. In addition, more than 900 groups related to independent living maintain WordPress.com blogs, such as “The Independent Living Institute” and “Independent Living 101”.

Twitter
Twitter is free, real-time short messaging service (SMS) available at http://twitter.com/. Twitter, which launched in 2006, combines aspects of blogging and social networking. Numerous individuals and groups in disability and rehabilitation related fields use twitter. For example, “Disability Tips” sends tweets about social security and other programs, while “PeepsHelpsPeeps” offers adults with disabilities alerts on many issues, such as prescription drug benefits and healthcare.