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Web
Site Serves
People With Disabilities
By Cheri Ghan
From finding parts for wheelchairs to securely
storing personal medical records, people with disabilities and
their family members are a mouse click away from much needed help
thanks to the efforts of a team of University of Missouri-Columbia
researchers.
MU has launched the disAbility Spin web site
at www.dspin.org
and members of the mid-Missouri disability community who have
worked with MU Health Psychology
Associate Professor Laura Schopp to develop the site said they
"have been hoping and waiting for this site for years!"
Schopp, who is the principal investigator
on the grant funding the site, said along with offering tips on
where to find goods and services needed by those with disabilities,
the disAbility Spin site supports communication among members
in the disability community.
"People with disabilities have enormous
information management challenges, from keeping personal health
records to finding accessible housing," Schopp said. "It's
especially difficult for people with a new disability or who have
just moved to the area to find that information quickly. disAbility
Spin is a place where people with disabilities can socialize,
volunteer to help others, manage their information, and interact
with many local and statewide agencies, services and individuals."
While the web site addresses some needs specific
to Columbia and the mid-Missouri area, Schopp said it can be helpful
to other communities who can either use some of its services or
model their own site.
"Our goal with disAbility Spin is to
make it easier for anyone anywhere to find out what they need
to know about living skillfully with a disability," Schopp
said. "We have had many inquiries about creating local disAbility
Spin sites in various areas nationwide, and we hope in the future
to be able to extend this resource to any persons who need it,
wherever they may live."
The disAbility Spin web site project
is a collaboration between MU's Department of Health
Management and Informatics, Department of Health Psychology,
Services for Independent Living and Columbia citizens with disabilities.
It is funded by a research grant from the National Institute on
Disability and Rehabilitation Research. The disAbility Spin team's
work has been featured in the journal Telemedicine Journal
and eHealth.
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Published by the Mizzou Alumni Association
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Last Update:
November 15, 2007
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