2013 Compendium on Disability Statistics Released

December 2013 — The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) announced the release of the 2013 Compendium of Disability Statistics, a web-based tool that pools disability statistics published by various federal agencies.  The Compendium is meant to serve as a tool for researchers and policy makers by providing accessible data to help support “decisions related to policy improvements, program administration, service delivery, protection of civil rights and major life activities.”  Findings from the 2013 Compendium highlight that the employment gap between people with and without disabilities remains, with 32.7 percent of people with disabilities employed in 2012 as compared to 73.6 percent of people without disabilities.  Also noted is the employment gap by education, wherein, “28.4 percent of people with disabilities with a Bachelor’s degree or higher are employed compared to 76.1 percent of people without disabilities.” President and CEO of AAPD, Mark Perriello, noted that “the findings contained in the 2013 Compendium on Disability Statistics shine a light onto the unfinished work that must be done to improve outcomes of Americans with disabilities. Despite recent gains from the federal government to the private sector to increase economic opportunities, Americans with disabilities remain unemployed and outside the work force at alarming rates. Business, government, and community organizations must work together to build outcome oriented solutions at the local, state, and national level.”