[Missouri-l] [leadership] FW: Disability.gov Launched Today - New and Redesigned with Social Media

Mon Jul 27 13:55:38 CDT 2009

 ---- Original Message ------
From: "Eric Bridges" <ebridges at acb.org
Subject: [leadership] FW: Disability.gov Launched Today - New and 
Redesigned with Social Media
Date sent: Mon, 27 Jul 2009 14:10:18 -0400

FYI

Eric

  _____

From: Stephanie Bostaph [mailto:Stephanie_Bostaph at mail.vresp.com]
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2009 1:55 PM
To: ebridges at acb.org
Subject: Disability.gov Launched Today - New and Redesigned with 
Social
Media

Dear Eric:

The U.S.  Department of Labor today launched Disability.gov, a 
redesigned
federal Web site that connects the more than 50 million Americans 
with
disabilities to thousands of trusted resources on 
disability-related issues,
programs and services.  Formerly known as DisabilityInfo.gov, the 
site has
been completely redesigned and updated with new social media 
tools, such as
a blog and a Twitter feed, to encourage feedback and interaction 
among
visitors.  Disability.gov is not just for Americans with 
disabilities, but
also for parents of children with disabilities, employers, 
workforce and
human resource professionals, veterans, educators, caregivers and 
many
others.

Disability.gov features comprehensive information from 22 federal 
agencies,
as well as educational institutions, non-profit organizations and 
state and
local governments.  Topics covered on the site include: benefits; 
civil
rights; community life; education; emergency preparedness; 
employment;
health; housing; technology; and transportation.

We ask that you please let your constituents know about 
Disability.gov.  You
can do this by sending an e-mail to your networks; placing a news 
item about
the site on your Web site, blog or Twitter feed; or by including 
an article
in the next issue of your newsletter.  We would be happy to 
supply you with
any additional communications materials you may need.  Please let 
us know if
you would like us to send you a press release, fact sheet, 
talking points,
sample Twitter posts or news articles.

IMPORTANT: If you are currently linking to
<http://cts.vresp.com/c/?ConceptsPR/621daffd39/2987d3d83b/05f61b4
655
www.DisabilityInfo.gov from your Web site, please take a moment 
to update
your link to
<http://cts.vresp.com/c/?ConceptsPR/621daffd39/2987d3d83b/4afbcf3
a30
www.Disability.gov.  If you are not currently linking to us, we 
hope that
you'll add this to your Web site.  To link to Disability.gov, 
visit our Link
to Us page (
<http://cts.vresp.com/c/?ConceptsPR/621daffd39/2987d3d83b/f5eba82
d18
www.disability.gov/link_to_us).  Please let us know if you have 
any
questions.  We hope you enjoy the new site and find it useful.

Many thanks for your support!

Stephanie Bostaph

Communications Specialist

Concepts PR

(703) 229-2849

sbostaph at conceptspr.com <mailto:sbostaph at gmail.com

News Release

U.S.  Department of Labor                                           
For
Immediate Release

Office of Public Affairs                                                
July
23, 2009

Washington, D.C.
Contact: Jennifer Kaplan

Release Number: 09-834-NAT                                   
Phone:
202-693-5052 or 202-693-4676

Disability.gov offers social media tools, upgrades to complement 
information
from 22 federal agencies on disability-related programs and 
services

Launch of revamped site to coincide with Americans with 
Disabilities Act's
19th anniversary

WASHINGTON - In conjunction with the 19th anniversary of the 
Americans with
Disabilities Act, the U.S.  Department of Labor has re-named and 
re-launched
DisabilityInfo.gov as Disability.gov.  The site offers 
comprehensive
information about programs and services to better serve more than 
50 million
Americans with disabilities, their family members, veterans, 
employers,
educators, caregivers and anyone interested in disability-related
information.

The new Web site will integrate content from 22 federal agencies 
and be
managed by the Labor Department.  The former DisabilityInfo.gov 
site has
been revamped with social media tools to encourage interaction 
and feedback,
and new ways to organize, share and receive information.  
Visitors will be
able to sign up for personalized news and updates, participate in 
online
discussions and suggest resources for the site.  New features 
include a
Twitter feed, Really Simple Syndication feeds, a blog, social 
bookmarking
and a user-friendly way to obtain answers to questions on such 
topics as
finding employment and job accommodations.  Additional tools will 
be added
during the months ahead.

"The new Disability.gov site is bigger, better, faster and 
stronger than the
old site," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L.  Solis.  "Far more 
than just a
directory of federal resources, Disability.gov is a meeting 
ground for
Americans to learn, respond and communicate about a wealth of 
critically
important disability-related topics."

The site is organized into 10 subject areas: benefits, civil 
rights,
community life, education, emergency preparedness, employment, 
health,
housing, technology and transportation.  By selecting a category, 
visitors
are directed to useful information on federal and state 
government programs
and services, news and events, grants and funding opportunities, 
and more.

"The Department of Labor is pleased to be the managing partner of
Disability.gov and to help advance the independence and full 
participation
of people with disabilities in the workforce, the classroom and 
their
communities," said Kathleen Martinez, assistant secretary for the 
Labor
Department's Office of Disability Employment Policy.

Disability.gov contains thousands of links to reliable 
information from its
federal agency partners, as well as educational institutions, 
nonprofit
organizations, and state and local governments.

ODEP is leading a 21st century federal response to the historic
underemployment of people with disabilities.  In collaboration 
with other
government agencies, public and private employers, and additional
stakeholders, ODEP facilitates the development and implementation 
of
innovative policies and practices necessary to achieve a fully 
inclusive
workplace.  ODEP's work primarily falls into three categories:  
employers
and the workplace; workforce systems; and employment-related 
supports, which
include education and training, health care, reliable 
transportation,
affordable housing and assistive technology.  For more 
information, visit
www.dol.gov/odep
<http://cts.vresp.com/c/?ConceptsPR/621daffd39/2987d3d83b/f559503
91f> .

# # #

_________________________________________________________________
___________
_______________________

U.S.  Department of Labor releases are accessible on the Internet 
at
<http://cts.vresp.com/c/?ConceptsPR/621daffd39/2987d3d83b/b828c3e
2a5
http://www.dol.gov.  The information in this news release will be 
made
available in alternate format (large print, Braille, audio tape 
or disc)
from the COAST office upon request.  Please specify which news 
release when
placing your request at 202-693-7828 or TTY 202-693-7755.  The 
Labor
Department is committed to providing America's employers and 
employees with
easy access to understandable information on how to comply with 
its laws and
regulations.  For more information, please visit
http://www.dol.gov/compliance
<http://cts.vresp.com/c/?ConceptsPR/621daffd39/2987d3d83b/d600547
4a0> .

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  _____

U.S.  Department of Labor
Frances Perkins Building
200 Constitution Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20210

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