Generally, you should use library databases to find your articles, and the web to supplement your arguments with statistics, demographic information, and reports. Things to keep in mind when searching the web:
Use websites only when appropriate and question their credibility. Remember, almost anyone can publish something online because it doesn't go through the same review process like books or articles.
Generally .gov, .edu, .org sites tend to be the most credible, though there are still exceptions. To limit your Google search to these domains, type in your search term followed by a colon with the domain name. Ex. population trends:.gov
When in doubt, ask your instructor if it’s okay to use a particular web source
NCD is an independent federal agency charged with advising the President, Congress, and other federal agencies regarding policies, programs, practices, and procedures that affect people with disabilities. NCD is comprised of a team of Presidential and Congressional appointees, an Executive Director appointed by the Chair, and a full-time professional staff.
The Civil Rights Act of 1957 created the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. Established as an independent, bipartisan, fact-finding federal agency, their mission is to inform the development of national civil rights policy and enhance enforcement of federal civil rights laws.
Legal Information Institute, organized by Cornell Law School, is a non-profit public service that provides no-cost access to current American and international legal research sources online.
Disability Resources (U.S. Department of Labor)
A portal with information to promote an inclusive workforce and increase employment opportunities for people with disabilities. Topics include Benefits, Civil Rights, Community Life, Education, Employment, Emergency Preparedness, Health, Housing, Technology, and Transportation.
The ADA Home Page provides access to Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations for businesses and State and local governments, technical assistance materials, ADA Standards for Accessible Design, links to Federal agencies with ADA responsibilities and information, & updates on new ADA requirements.
The Annual Disability Statistics Compendium is a web-based tool that pools disability statistics published by various federal agencies together in one place. When working on legislative and other matters relating to persons with disabilities, the Compendium will make finding and using disability statistics easier.
Statistics, datasets, Annual Disability Status Reports (summary of the most recent demographic and economic statistics on the non-institutionalized population with disabilities. They contain information on the population size and disability prevalence for various demographic subpopulations, as well as statistics related to employment, earnings, and household income. Comparisons are made to people without disabilities and across disability types. Disability Status Reports and other statistics are available for each state, DC, and Puerto Rico.
Associations, Organizations & Research Centers
Society for Disability Studies
The Society for Disability Studies (SDS) is a non-profit organization that promotes the study of disability in social, cultural, and political contexts. Disability Studies recognizes that disability is a key aspect of human experience, and that the study of disability has important political, social, and economic implications for society as a whole, including both disabled and nondisabled people. Through research, artistic production, teaching and activism, the Society for Disability Studies seeks to augment understanding of disability in all cultures and historical periods, to promote greater awareness of the experiences of disabled people, and to advocate for social change.
The National Organization on Disability
The National Organization on Disability (NOD) is a private, non-profit organization that promotes the full participation and contributions of America’s 57 million people with disabilities in all aspects of life.
Today, the National Organization on Disability focuses on increasing employment opportunities for the 80-percent of working-age Americans with disabilities who are not employed. To achieve this goal, NOD works with leading employers and partners with educational and philanthropic institutions to pilot innovative approaches to disability inclusion, then scales these up into initiatives with even broader impact.
National Center for the Dissemination of Disability Research
The purpose of the Center on KTDRR is to make it easier to find, understand, and use the results of research that can make a positive impact on the lives of people with disabilities. The KTDRR Center promotes "the use of high-quality disability and rehabilitation research that is relevant to the needs of intended audience by serving as the main KT resource" for NIDILRR-funded researchers, developers, and KT centers. Other audiences include people with disabilities and their families, disability advocates, service providers, and policy makers, as well as administrators, educators, and employers.
National Arts and Disability Center
The mission of the National Arts and Disability Center (NADC) is to promote the full inclusion of audiences and artists with disabilities into all facets of the arts community. The NADC is a project of the Tarjan Center. The information, technical assistance, and evaluation services of the NADC aim to: 1. Strengthen the capacity of the mainstream arts community to include artists and audiences with disabilities, and 2. promote the professional development of artists with disabilities through access to educational, vocational and community activities, suppprts and networks
Disability Resources (U.S. Department of Labor)
A portal with information to promote an inclusive workforce and increase employment opportunities for people with disabilities. Topics include Benefits, Civil Rights, Community Life, Education, Employment, Emergency Preparedness, Health, Housing, Technology, and Transportation.
Disability History Museum
The Disability History Museum is a virtual project, it has no bricks or mortar. It aims to provide all site visitors, people with and without disabilities, researchers, teachers and students, with a wide array of tools to help deepen their understanding of human variation and difference, and to expand appreciation of how vital to our common life the experiences of people with disabilities have always been.
The Disability History Association
The Disability History Association (DHA) is an international non-profit organization that promotes the study of disabilities throughout history. This includes, but is not limited to, the history of individuals or groups with disabilities, perspectives on disability, representations/ constructions of disability, policy and practice history, teaching, theory, and Disability and related social and civil rights movements.
We define both history and disability widely. This organization is both inclusive and international, reflected in our diverse topics and approaches. Membership is open to scholars, institutions and organizations, and others working in all geographic regions and all time periods.
The Center on Disability Studies, Syracuse University
The Disability Studies Program @ Syracuse University builds on the pioneering work in the SU School of Education in the area of disability. The program is designed to help students examine disability as a social, cultural, and political phenomenon. Consistent with the Syracuse tradition, this program stands at the forefront of the development of the theoretical, research, educational, and advocacy models necessary to remove the social, legal, physical, policy, and attitudinal barriers that exclude people with disabilities.
