After attending the August Penguin 2010 conference, Ilana Benish wrote (in Hebrew) about the benefits of Free Software for people with disabilities.
I would like to make also the following points:
- Working on Free Software projects, like working on any volunteer work, is a way for software developers with disabilities to prove their worth to prospective employers. This can serve to overcome prejudices and resistance by prospective employers, especially those who were burned by people who proved to be capable of drawing a salary and incapable of delivering results.
- Like working on other self-benefit projects, working on relevant Free Software projects can empower people with disabilities, who can now help themselves rather than rely upon other people to help them.
I’m sure that any kind of help and support disabled people can enjoy should be provided to them immediately and if this makes believe them into their own power, then it’s amazing!