For individuals who are disabled, the Internet can be a source for community, civic action, empowerment and entertainment, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Simply to use the Internet, the Journal reports June 24, one must be connected. The AbleNet Foundation is dedicated to connecting the disabled, particularly those who cannot leave their homes, to the wider information world.

For those recently disabled, the MossRehab ResourceNet provides support. At this site, you can find discussion groups, information on medical conditions, and a section on accessible travel.

Resources promoting community and civic action on the Internet range from grassroots efforts such as the Justice for All E-mail Network to national organizations like the National Organization on Disability, which provides a large amount of information on legal and employment issues on its site. The National Alliance of the Disabled also supplies information and links through a strong online presence.

Community without borders is the aim of the Worldwide Virtual Community of the Disabled. The site offers a database of homepages throughout the world that can be searched by disability or location, as well as a large number of other resources online, the Journal reports.

Work is often a difficult issue for those seeking it in a world in which physical difference still weighs heavily for many hiring managers. Several organizations are committed to providing employment resources all the way from training to placement for the disabled.

Two of the top online resources are the President's Committee on the Employment of People with Disabilities and the Job Accommodation Network, which offers toll-free consulting on "the employability of people with disabilities." Project Hired and Lift Inc. specialize in placing people who have technical or analytical skills in the growing information industry.

Play is at least as big a reason as work for the existence of the Internet. The Journal reports on organizations that are spreading awareness, art and fun through an online presence. Examples run from the Cleveland Signstage Theatre, a group that presents plays in both spoken English and American Sign Language, to the United States Quad Rugby Association, which refers to itself as "the fastest growing wheelchair sport in the world."

These are only a few of the sites that concentrate on the experience of living with a disability, the Journal reports. Most of the organizations it cites have links that will connect you with other organizations, and an Internet search will turn up many more.