It can empower the person to be more comunicative and assertive. This slow liberating process has been witnessed in my clinical work. This sense of empowerment inducement through online activites is, to my knowledge, not well-researched. They are often judged only by what they say and do. Activities like teleconferencing and e-mailing can also bring positive responses from participants during online interaction with people with disabilties.
Virtual communities are social aggregations that emerge from public discussions.
Hence IT allows people who have common interests, or who are directly and personally affected by particular issues, condition or concerns to be together for varying reasons. For some this brings about emotional, informational or social support. For others, this collective spirit brings about a new way to raise their voices in an organised fashion. The Internet has long been used by individuals, organisations or groups to collectively discuss, share or even mobilise people for action on varing issues, e.g., discrimination, legislation, access policy, etc. The opportunities for greater advocacy roles brought about by electronic self-help are unique.