LET’S GET STARTED!

  1. If you have not already done so, please register with KnowledgeSafari.com. You can do this from the home page. Go ahead…we’ll wait for you!
  2. Once your account is validated – you are really ready to begin!
  3. Use the toolbar at the top of the page to navigate through the COMMUNITY section of the site.
    1. The tool bar is where it says “My Profile” “My Home” “Connect”
  4. “My Home” is your landing page Here you can:
    1. See the some of the latest activity on the site
    2. Read and Write on “The Wire”
      1. The Wire is a place for you to send a short message out – similar to other micro blogging sites.

Next up is adding information to your profile page. Click My Profile at the upper left corner of the site.

  1. First things first – let us (and everyone else) get to know you!
    1. To the right of your name – is a link to “edit profile” – click there
    2. You have two options – “edit profile icon” and “edit details”
    3. First click on “edit profile icon” to add a picture of yourself – smile pretty! When you are done…
    4. Click on “edit details”
      1. This is where you tell us about you, your family and the special needs in your life. You can share as much or as little information as you like. The more information you share in your profile the easier it will be to connect with others traveling a similar path, as you will be able to use the search function to find people according to the words that are placed in the profile.

    So, now you have shared information about you – let’s find you some friends!

  1. The search bar at top right corner of the page is your link to new friends! See it says “Find Friends!”
    1. Search on a specific name – did you tell Jane Smith from the association you both belong, to join Knowledge Safari? Enter Jane’s full name and click search (See #7 to become her friend)
    2. Or, you can search on any key word. Looking for other people who reference: Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Deaf, Down Syndrome, SAHM, Michigan, Overland Park, KS and the like in their profile – search using those key words and a list of corresponding potential friends will come up.
  2. Did you find someone you would like to be friends with?
    1. Just click on their name and then click “add friend”
    2. The person will have to approve you and when you get a friend request you will see a friend icon next to the email icon that you can click on to accept their friend request, you will also receive an email where you can do the same thing.

Once everyone is friends – you can get to know each other better through: the message board, groups, and emails. Here’s how:

  1. Message Board – can be accessed through your profile page. The message board is similar to the comment wall on other networks. You can post messages to others and then other users can post messages that will appear on your message board. You can then reply directly to any message and view the history between yourself and the person posting the message.

What’s next?

How about taking a look at the toolbar – yes, the one right at the top of your page…you see My Profile, My Home, and Connect….let’s go to Connect

  1. If you click the Connect tab on your tool bar, you will see a menu that includes:
    1. Blogs
      1. You can start a blog right here on knowledgesafari.com!
    2. Event Calendar
      1. Have an event that you want to share with others – like a meeting for a support group or a fundraiser? Click on Event Calendar and then to the left you will see “add an event”.
      2. You can use the calendar for your own events and appointments too. Simply adjust who is able to see your events, by changing the Access Settings at the bottom of the page.
    3. Friends
      1. Click Friends and you will see a list of your friends.
      2. You can group your friends by clicking on “new friends collection”
      3. To see the collection of friends you have set up – click on “collection of friends”
    4. Groups
      1. Groups are the place for you to connect and share conversations with others. Groups are user generated. You can set up any kind of group you want for example: Down Syndrome Chat, Autism News, New York Moms, Aunts of Children with Special Needs, Grandparent Unite and the like!
        1. You can join existing groups or start groups from the left hand side of the groups page.
    5. Photos
      1. Are you a shutterbug? This section is for you! Share your pictures and view your friend’s albums from this page.


  1. Email
    1. Also located on your toolbar – the envelope icon will show you when you have a message or,
    2. You can create and send messages to anyone who you are friends with on the site
      1. Utilize the left hand side of the page to “compose a message”, view your “inbox” and see “sent messages”.
  2. Settings
    1. Here you can: Change your password, email address, your display name, language and access preference.
  3. Edit Page – this is for you techies out there! Located on your Profile page - here you can add, change and delete widgets until your heart’s content! Or you can just leave it alone!

A unique aspect to our site is the REVIEWS section. This section is user generated and is the place to create and read reviews specifically on how well suited they are to the special needs in your life.

For example: Have you ever wondered where the best restaurant would be to take your child who has food allergies? Or, are you looking for a great doctor in your area who specializes in sensory processing disorders? How about if you just came home from a great store, that not only employs people with special needs, but has great adaptive toys … get yourself logged into KnowledgeSafari.com and start typing!

Here’s how:

  1. Click on the REVIEWS tab from anywhere on the site
  2. Want to read a review?
    1. It is as simple as searching for the business by name, keyword or category
    2. In the search bar, where it says “business name” and “location” – the default is Scottsdale, AZ . If you don’t want to move here – change the location to wherever you are searching for business. If you do want to move here or just visit – we’d love to have you and you can just leave the default as is!
  3. Want to write a review?
    1. Search to see if the business is already in our database.
      1. If it is – you will see the current reviews and can add yours by clicking “Review this!”
      2. If it is not – you will be directed to add and review the business.

Now you know how to navigate the Community and Reviews sections! Don’t forget to check out the following:

RESOURCES – click on the tab to see a comprehensive list of resources or use the search function to quickly find up to date information.

KNOWLEDGE SAFARI BLOG – Click on any link in the Blog Box on our home page to read more! Our blog is updated regularly. We blog about hot topics in the special needs community and look forward to your comments! If you have a blog, let us know – we will add you to our blog roll.

PRIVATE CONSULTATION – If you need one on one help navigating your child’s journey – you can contact Marci Hersh, Co-Founder of Knowledge Safari. Find out more by clicking on Marci’s Bio which can be found at the About tab under About us.

Congratulations!

Now you know how to navigate our site and we hope it helps you as

you navigate the journey of your life with special needs.