[orca-list] please help a newby make an install of ubuntu 12.10 more accessible

[Rusty Perez <rustys lists gmail com>]

Hi folks,
Here's the issue: A kind friend installed ubuntu 12.10 on a machine
for me without knowing that it isn't completely accessible.
Because of various hardware limitations, and missing eye dependencies,
I can't currently just reinstall another distro. So, I'm wondering
what I'll need to do to get this installation of  ubuntu 12.10 to a
more accessible place.
i understand it's possible to upgrade the distro from inside 12.10. Is
this true? How do I do it? And can it be done without sighted
assistance?

If I get this one to ubuntu 13.4, then, what could I install/update,
to give me a more blind friendly system like Sonar is?
I know that unity and gnome are an issue
I'm a newby, but I can follow directions.
If there's a written set of instructions that you can point me too,
please do so without reinventing the wheel.

thanks!
Rusty