Adolf Ratzka (Director of the Independent Living Institute), personal assistance and ventilator user for over 40 years, describes the features of the Swedish Personal Assistance Act of 1994 using his personal example as an illustration for the possibilities the policy opens up for people with extensive disabilities. Keynote address, Japanese Ventilator Users’ Network Symposium, Tokyo, 2004-06-23. Internet publication URL: www.independentliving.org/docs6/ratzka20040623.html. Japanese version (PDF, 209 KB), Internet publication URL: www.independentliving.org/docs6/ratzka20040623-japanese.pdf.