Thanks to the Web, the disabled are virtually enabled. Talking browsers read text, hyperlinks and command buttons. Special mouses allow the disabled to submit mortgage applications and debate headlines online. Our favorite sites help to leap physical and social barriers. - Celia Bland

Children with Disabilities
A formidable array of government agencies have joined forces to present this impressive-and surprisingly clear-guide to local and national resources for disabled children. Covers basic needs like health, housing, education and employment, as well as technical assistance and legal advocacy. Learn about tax deductions, summer camps and pending bills. Links range from grant writing to making your kitchen wheelchair-accessible.

Abledata
Impartial information on assistive technology from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research. Search the 7,000-item database by key-word or phrase (such as "one-handed can-opener") and get product descriptions, manufacturers' contact addresses and handy keywords for comparison shopping. More than 27,000 products listed, including the K-9 Rescue Phone, for use by assistance dogs.

Access-Able Travel Source
This site's comprehensive state-by-state, country-by-country database fills in the gaps on accessible travel, from rental cars with hand controls to hotels, dining, museums and cruises. The FAQ section includes tips for traveling with oxygen.

Institute on Independent Living
Focusing on education as a way of promoting independence, this site offers United Nations and European Union reports on disability rights. Some features, such as the database of "personal assistants", are mostly for Europeans, but Yanks can tune into the site's Disability Radio Worldwide. The accessible vacation rentals exchange helps globetrotters swap a condo in Maui for a cottage in Utrecht.

Parents with Disabilities
Goes beyond the obvious, providing a comprehensive bibliography of medical resources and articles that bluntly address the social and physical difficulties of parenting with disabilities. Plus, information on the sexual and reproductive health of disabled women. Excellent annotated links page and reviews of adaptive parenting aids, such as modified baby carriers for parents with limited dexterity.

Ragged Edge
Medical rationing and genetic discrimination are some of the "ragged-edge" issues addressed in this Webzine. Its political and social commentary is always tart and lively, and although writers flaunt their pro-ADA bias, nearly every article links from its online source to a variety of newspapers, giving readers more objective coverage as well.