Disaboom - Disability Social Network and Community
Author: Ian C. Langtree - Writer/Editor for Disabled World (DW)
Published: 2010/06/01 - Updated: 2026/02/14
Publication Type: Informative
Category Topic: Disability Communities - Related Publications
Contents: Synopsis - Introduction - Main - Insights, Updates
Synopsis: This information provides a detailed profile of Disaboom, a now-defunct social networking website created in 2006 by Dr. J. Glen House, a board-certified physician in spinal cord medicine who became a C-7 quadriplegic after a skiing accident. The article is written by Ian Langtree, a long-established disability media editor, and documents how Disaboom once served as a hub for health content, job listings, accessibility reviews, dating services, and discussion forums for the estimated 54 million Americans living with disabilities. It serves as a useful historical record for disability advocates, researchers, and community members interested in understanding the evolution of online disability networks and the role such platforms played in connecting people with disabilities, their caregivers, and families - Disabled World (DW).
Introduction
Disaboom: Disability Community for Persons with Disabilities
Disaboom was a social networking website for the disabled, described by founder Dr. Glen House as "a premier interactive online community dedicated to improving the way individuals with disabilities or functional limitations live their lives."
Main Content
NOTE: Since the writing of this review, Disaboom has since shutdown its website.
Disaboom was founded in September 2006 by J. Glen House, MD, a board-certified physician specializing in the area of spinal cord injury. The Disaboom website once served as a comprehensive resource for those living with disabilities, as well as their family members, friends, caregivers, and employers.
Rendered a C-7 quadriplegic after breaking his neck in a skiing accident at the age of 20, Dr. House went on to pursue a career in medicine despite losing the use of his legs and dexterity in his hands. The first student in a wheelchair to graduate from the University of Washington School of Medicine, he is board certified in both Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Spinal Cord Medicine. In addition to being an integral part of Disaboom, he is the President of the Colorado Rehabilitation Physicians, President of the medical device company Flexlife, and Medical Director of the Center for Neuro & Trauma Rehabilitation at Penrose Hospital in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
In 2007 Disaboom acquired Lovebyrd, a disabled dating service targeting people with disabilities. Disaboom combined both information and community for the estimated 54 million Americans living with disabilities, so a move into online dating for the disabled made sense at the time.
Sections of the Disaboom Website Included
- Health: The health section featured articles written by medical professionals on a variety of disabilities including Cerebral Palsy, Muscular Dystrophy, Multiple Sclerosis, Fibromyalgia and other disabilities and functional limitations.
- Disability Discussions: The Disaboom discussion section contained over 35 forums, with over 7,000 threads ranging from health conditions to relationship advice, political dialog, and more.
- Disaboom Jobs: The Disaboom career center offered job listings specifically targeted toward people with disabilities. Some listings were for companies that hire continually for positions available to those with disabilities, while other listings were for specific current opportunities.
- Accessibility Reviews: The Disaboom review section contained reviews on the accessibility and quality of restaurants, hotels, resorts, attractions, medical equipment, and other items such as accessible vehicles and educational information that included Disaboom Scholarships for students with disabilities.
- Disaboom Dating and Social Network: The living section contained articles on relationships, health and fitness, sports, recreation, living with disabilities, and more. Although the content was catered towards those with disabilities, the subject matter is often not specific to the disabled community, and may have general appeal.
Insights, Analysis, and Developments
Editorial Note: Disaboom represented a significant early effort to build a dedicated online space where people with disabilities could connect, find employment, access health information, and participate in a broader social community. Founded by a physician who personally lived with spinal cord injury, the platform carried a credibility that many mainstream social networks lacked when addressing disability-related topics. Though Disaboom eventually shut down, its model - combining social networking with disability-specific resources like job boards, accessibility reviews, and dating services - helped lay groundwork for the disability-focused online communities that followed. Its legacy is a reminder that when platforms are built with genuine understanding of the disability experience, they can fill gaps that general-purpose websites often overlook - Disabled World (DW).
Author Credentials: Ian is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Disabled World, a leading resource for news and information on disability issues. With a global perspective shaped by years of travel and lived experience, Ian is a committed proponent of the Social Model of Disability-a transformative framework developed by disabled activists in the 1970s that emphasizes dismantling societal barriers rather than focusing solely on individual impairments. His work reflects a deep commitment to disability rights, accessibility, and social inclusion. To learn more about Ian's background, expertise, and accomplishments, visit his full biography.