Job prospects improved significantly for Americans with disabilities in April, according to new data from the U.S. Department of Labor.

Unemployment dropped to 12.5 percent among people with disabilities last month, the government agency said. Though that remains significantly higher than the jobless rate for the general population, the news reflects a marked decline from the 15.2 percent unemployment rate reported in March among this group.

The improved situation for those with disabilities comes as the economy as a whole added 115,000 jobs in April, a number that fell short of expectations. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate for the general population remained relatively stagnant at 8.1 percent.

The Labor Department 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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