The unemployment rate among Americans with disabilities dipped somewhat in January, but remains significantly higher than that for the rest of the population.

For the first month of 2011, those with disabilities faced an unemployment rate of 13.6 percent, according to Labor Department data released Friday. That’s down from 14.3 percent in December.

This change is due in part to fewer people with disabilities looking for work.

Meanwhile, unemployment among the general population dropped to its lowest level in nearly two years, settling at 9 percent in January.

The Department of Labor began tracking employment among people with disabilities in October 2008. There is not yet enough data compiled to establish seasonal trends among this population, so statistics for this group are not seasonally adjusted.

Data on people with disabilities covers those over the age of 16 who do not live in institutions. The first employment report specific to this population was made available in February 2009. Now, reports are released monthly.

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