INFORMATION EXCHANGE AS EMPOWERMENT - A CASE-STUDY

In July 1994 a newspaper was created to share information in and among the community of people with disabilities in Palmerston North, New Ze aland. The project became, in only a few months, not only economically viable, but extremely successful as a social and community experiment , and an endeavour by people with disabilities to inform each other an d the larger community. This article describes the origin, design and development, and the current status of the newspaper, and advances the recommendation that people with disability elsewhere, and those profe ssionally employed in the rehabilitation field, consider similar initi atives to inform, and thereby empower, people with disabilities.