Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions from people new to DisabilityWiki, answered clearly.

Feeling overwhelmed? Start with one question that matters to you. You don’t have to read everything.

⚠️ If You’re in Crisis

In immediate danger or active crisis? Use local emergency services first, then reach out to trusted people.

After that, this resource can help:

Crisis & Immediate Help

About DisabilityWiki: The Basics

What is DisabilityWiki?

A community-built guide to disability resources, rights, and culture.

Created by: Disabled people (with allies supporting)
Free & open: Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
Global: Not limited to one country
For: Disabled people, families, allies, professionals

It’s a starting point and navigation map when systems feel scattered.

Learn more: Welcome to DisabilityWiki

Who is this wiki for?

Primary audience: Disabled people of all ages, identities, and locations

Also for:

People exploring whether they’re disabled
Family members and friends
Allies who want to support better
Professionals (educators, healthcare workers, etc.)

The wiki is written from disabled people’s point of view, not neutral or “from above.” Allies are welcome, but disabled people lead.

Learn more: Welcome to DisabilityWiki

How is the wiki organized?

Two main ways:

By topic: Crisis, Money, Rights, Housing, Health, Education, Work, Tech, Specific disabilities, Intersectionality, Community, Media

By region: Especially in detailed sections (US, Canada, UK, Australia, Global South, etc.)

Full explanation: How to Use This Wiki

Using the Wiki

I’m overwhelmed. Where do I start?

Choose based on your immediate need:

New to disability concepts:

Urgent need (housing, money, crisis):

You’re an ally or professional:

You can always come back to this FAQ if you get lost.

How do I know if I’m “disabled enough” to use this wiki?

If you’re asking this question, you’re welcome here.

We include:

Physical disabilities
Sensory disabilities (Deaf, Blind, Hard of Hearing, Low Vision)
Chronic illness and chronic pain
Neurodivergence (ADHD, autism, dyslexia, etc.)
Mental health disabilities
Intellectual and developmental disabilities
Invisible, undiagnosed, or fluctuating disabilities

You don’t need:

A specific diagnosis
Proof of disability
A particular “level” of impairment
Permission from anyone

I still have questions not answered here.

That’s expected. This FAQ can’t cover everything.

Try:

How to Use This Wiki (navigation help)
Search bar (use keywords)
Contact Us (ask maintainers)

Accuracy & Trust

Is this medical advice?

No.

This wiki can:

Explain concepts and systems
Describe general experiences with disability and healthcare
Point you to resources and organizations
Link to official sources

This wiki cannot:

Diagnose conditions
Tell you to take or stop medications
Replace healthcare provider advice

Important: All medical advice pages include: “This is not medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare provider for your situation.”

In medical crisis: Use local emergency services or crisis lines

Crisis & Immediate Help

Is this legal advice?

No.

This wiki can:

Explain laws in plain language
Offer general rights information
Link to government sources and legal aid
Suggest questions to ask a lawyer

This wiki cannot:

Give formal legal opinions
Tell you what will happen in your specific case
Represent you legally

Important: All legal pages include: “This is for information only, not legal advice.”

For legal help:

Local disability rights organizations
Legal aid services
Attorneys specializing in disability law

Can I trust the information on this wiki?

We use several methods to keep information accurate:

Source citations to official documents, organizations, and primary sources
Peer review by disabled contributors and experts
Marking pages:
- ✓ Verified: Reviewed by moderators
- 💭 Community: In-progress content

Pages prioritized for accuracy:

Crisis and emergency resources
Rights and legal information
Benefits and financial support
Housing information

If you find an error:

Note the page and problem
Report via: Contact Us

Yes. The wiki is designed to work with all major screen readers.

Every page has:

Proper heading structure
Descriptive link text
Semantic formatting
Alt text on meaningful images

If something doesn’t work: Tell us immediately. We treat accessibility bugs as urgent.

Disability Justice & Politics

Is everything on this wiki neutral?

No.

We are NOT neutral about:

Ableism
Racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, classism
Institutionalization and abuse
Policies that harm disabled people

We ARE transparent about:

Our disability justice orientation
Which parts are descriptive vs. analytical
How we approach disagreements

Neutrality has historically upheld oppressive systems. We choose justice-oriented accuracy instead.

How do you handle disagreements about language or politics?

Disability spaces have different views about:

Language (identity-first vs. person-first)
Frames (medical vs. social vs. disability justice)
Strategy (reform, abolition, mutual aid, etc.)

Our approach:

Make our stance transparent (disability justice-rooted)
Default to identity-first language (“disabled people”)
Center most-marginalized disabled people
Acknowledge disagreements, don’t erase them
Make space for multiple perspectives where possible

If you disagree: You’re invited to offer feedback or suggest edits.

Contributing

Can I contribute?

Almost certainly yes.

Especially if you:

Are disabled with knowledge to share
Have expertise in specific systems (benefits, housing, law, healthcare)
Can help with translation, accessibility, or editing
Represent a disability organization or community

Contribution paths:

Suggest small edits (typos, clarifications)
Contribute new pages or sections
Help review and verify pages
Support accessibility, translation, or outreach

Get started: How to Contribute

How do I suggest a new topic or page?

Tell us, especially if it fills a gap affecting:

Global South regions
Indigenous communities
Multiply-marginalized disabled people
Specific disability groups
Important laws, benefits, or survival strategies

Submit suggestions:

Most helpful when you include:

The topic and region (e.g., “disability pensions in Brazil”)
Any resources you know of
Whether you can help write/review

Operations & Privacy

Who runs DisabilityWiki?

Right now: Disabled volunteers, guided by disability justice principles.

Long-term: We’re building shared governance led by disabled people from diverse backgrounds. Most-impacted communities will have real leadership (not token roles). Processes will be transparent.

Details: Governance & Decision-Making (in development)

How is my data used?

We aim to:

Collect minimal personal data
Not track individual users beyond platform requirements
Avoid ads and third-party trackers
Use analytics only in aggregate

Full details: Privacy & Data Use (to be created)

Recommendation: Avoid sharing identifying information in public spaces. Use a pseudonym if you prefer.

How do I stay updated with new content?

As the project grows:

“What’s New” pages
Updates on home page
Email, RSS, or social platforms (if set up)

Check:

Changelog & Updates (planned)
Welcome page

If Something Goes Wrong

What if I find something inaccessible or harmful?

We want to know.

Tell us if a page:

Doesn’t work with your assistive tech
Is overwhelming or hard to follow
Needs a content warning
Uses harmful or outdated language
Misrepresents a disability community

Include:

Which page
What the problem is
How it affected you (optional)
Any suggestions

Contact: Contact Us

Still Have Questions?

This FAQ can’t cover everything.