SPINALpedia

SPINALpedia is an online mentoring network that will connect the SCI community through the uploading of text and video. In partnership with Determined2Heal, the website will allow users to surf information relevant to SCI on both a Wikipedia-style and YouTube-style base of user-generated content reflecting the diversity of challenges associated with each level of injury. SPINALpedia will be a free mentoring network that will serve the entire spinal cord injury community. All members of the SPINALpedia community will be able to upload and share their experiences through video. Users will be able to categorically surf video content through an in-depth tag system. Another feature will be a unique mentor search platform. This will allow members to specify details of their situation and populate a list of compatible mentors within our SPINALpedia community. Mentors will provide support and help guide members through the steps of adaptation by answering their specific questions and offering their experiences.

The core of this project's innovation is defined in terms of technology, community and connections. No other existing online resource effectively harnesses the power of user-generated content or the authenticity of people who face the same challenges. The vast majority of information available on websites is scientific and non-personal. Any valuable information shared on online forums are often buried in threads, but SPINALpedia's open-source technology will consolidate user input into a readable format, drastically increasing the number of people who can benefit from one person's experience. SPINALpedia will use the networking power of internet technology to transcend the limitations of small-scale, local mentoring networks to make compatible mentors accessible regardless of geographic location or physical limitations.