Please check out the Sonar project! Currently under the watchful eye of Jonathan Nadeau, the project aims to build a Linux operating system focused on accessibility. There are 1 billion people in the world with some type of disability, and if they want to access the Internet, check their e-mail, chat on Facebook or write some python programs; they have to use Expen$$$ive proprietary software. Sonar will be Free as in beer and free as in Freedom.
If you’ve got $25 or just $5 USD to spare, head to indiegogo.com/sonar
This is not kickstarter, so you donate money (as opposed to pledging money). This means that even if the project doesn’t reach its goal, they will make the best of the money they do get from us, to make computing more accessible and effortless for blind or low-sighted, dyslectic or learning disabled, low motor skilled people and quadriplegics.
I think this is an area largely ignored by the public and the programmers, and the solutions that are available are closed-source and very expensive. If you lost your eyesight, you wouldn’t find it fair having to shell out more than the next, just to get your browsing on. I’ve heard Jonathan on several of the GNU/Linux and F/OSS podcasts out there, and though he is a free software advocate, his mission has practical consequences that would go beyond the GNU/Linux distribution they’re planning. Imagine where a world where modern equally capable screen readers for instance would be standard issue in off-the-shelves computers because it could be included free of charge by manufacturers! It’s not rocket science, we’ve got the means and now we’ve got the programmers. Let’s do this!
Edit: 21st of February 2013
The fundraising ended with $9,808 raised of the $20K goal. If you’re interested in donating some cash towards this cause, but didn’t make the deadline, don’t despair. The official Sonar GNU/Linux website has a Paypal donate button! Thanks for reading:)