Mac and Impaired Users

For a long time, Apple has been considered as a reference for computers to be used by impaired people. Transition to OSX marked a strong pause in this era, as most applications developed to help impaired users were not or marginally ported to the new OS.
Some impaired users can simply not perform some movement or task we are all carrying out everyday with our computer without even thinking about. Below is a report sent by Claude and illustrating how a really small thing can become a major issue:

While being impaired with reduced mobility capacity, I am a Mac fan and the happy owner of a PMG5 Dual 1.8 GHz from 2003. I was considering changing my computer to a new model, and I was thinking about a Mac Pro or an iMac core 2 Duo. The iMac would be perfect with its all-in-one design, as the Mac Pro while taking more space underneath my office is also costing much more.
However, the iMac would be a major problem for me. Its power button is localized behind the screen, and not on the front panel as with the Mac Pro; and for an mobility impaired user this is a major issue. I can not move my hands behind to switch the computer one, or force a reboot when the computer crash (rare). This might become an even major problem when living alone.
So, I am simply asking the Mac community to think about a solution which would allow physically impaired people to use their computer as anybody else. It does not require Apple to redesign the power button on the front panel (even though it would be the easiest way), but by proposing a trick to boot/reboot the computer without requiring such difficult movement for some users. We could maybe even think of using the Apple remote control for performing such task.
In France as in Europe, about 10% of the population is considered impaired (different grade) and they all use computers (Mac and PC), and maybe even more than most people as it is often a device needed to improve their life on a daily basis. With such report I would like to initiate a discussion/brain storming about solutions for the Mac to improve its use by impaired consumers. This would imply thinking about both hardware and software design and development.

If you feel to contribute to this action, please post your message or comments in the dedicated topic on our forum. We will try to push any positive initiative, and we expect that software and hardware designer in Cupertino or elsewhere are readying those lines.