Facing Disability

Rehabilitation through Technology

The Hill Foundation wanted to create a first-of-its kind website that would collect the life experiences surrounding spinal cord injuries and bring them to the world. They envisioned a resource that would contain forums, experts, a new form of peer counseling conducted via email, and over 1,000 videos. They needed a partner who could help vet ideas, explore technology solutions, and devise a comprehensive solution for this new and innovative website. Img-end

“They absolutely delivered on every single thing that they promised, and they did it when they said they would.” —Thea Flaum, President, Hill Foundation
“This website idea is so simple and so brilliant. It's intended for newly disabled people and their families and loved ones. What you don't want is thousands of words of advice. What you can benefit from are the words of disabled people.” —Roger Ebert in an unconventional video review
“I have no doubt that Facing Disability sets the bar, not only for this particular issue, but all medical sites on all manner of illnesses. It is wonderful, comprehensive, exquisitely planned, perfectly executed. A marvelous contribution.” —Frank Morris, psychologist and author

What We Did

  • Built a website that features and categorizes more than 1,000 videos
  • Created a design that makes it easy for users to search and navigate among these videos
  • Optimized the site for search via blogs and other outreach
  • Met with clients regularly to brainstorm and discuss the site’s needs

Results

  • Facing Disability has become a preeminent source of spinal cord injury information and first-hand experiences, and has received accolades from doctors, caregivers, research institutions, and individuals with spinal cord injuries
  • The NIH and Mayo Clinic have linked to the site, citing its significance to the field
  • The Christopher Reeve Foundation has requested use of Facing Disability’s spinal cord injury map for their site
  • The Chicago Tribune featured Facing Disability, saying, “What makes Facing Disability so unique is the breadth of information it provides to an online viewer”