Welcome to the Accessibility Forum
The Accessibility forum has three purposes:
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To garner user feedback, helping us prioritize development for improved accessibility to impaired users.
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For testers to evaluate accessibility and report bugs, especially on new features.
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For Logos users to get help with questions on using Logos in accessibility mode.
We want to hear from you!
Faithlife is committed to improving accessibility for Logos Bible Software, and we want to know what elements are the most important. Use this thread to tell us:
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How do you typically navigate Logos?
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What is your primary purpose for using Logos? What tasks do you perform most often?
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What are your biggest accessibility needs in Logos?
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What screenreader do you use? If another screenreader worked better with Logos, would you be willing to switch?
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What else do you think is vital for us to know?
We your appreciate input!
** Testers wanted! **
We need users to actively participate in evaluating accessibility in Logos products, including Logos Bible Software 6 and app.logos.com.
If you would like volunteer to test screenreading and other accessibility functions, please email accessibility@logos.com.
Need help? Ask here.
Start with these basics:
If you have a specific question, search this forum to see if it’s been answered before, or start a new thread.
Comments
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What is your primary purpose for using Logos? What tasks do you perform most often?
- Since my needs/requests center on Android, I will answer for my usage of the Android app.
- Book Reading
- Library Searching (Dictionaries, Commentaries, Lexicons)
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What are your biggest accessibility needs in Logos?
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Text-to-Speech on Android (with automatic page turning & read while screen-off option) - Enabled Text-to-Speech on Windows (The issue with disabled speech in Zondervan books seems to have been fixed, but I want to voice that if other publishers wish to disable that feature, I would hope it would remain open for those of us with documented print disabilities.)
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What screenreader do you use? If another screenreader worked better with Logos, would you be willing to switch
- My need is for in-book TTS only, so I don't usually use the standard screenreaders (as is, I'm saving up for a MS Surface Pro PC to make better use of the TTS options on Windows); instead, I use:
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For Windows: NaturalReader & Balabolka
- For Android: "@Voice Aloud Reader" & "Google Talkback"
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What else do you think is vital for us to know?
- For my issues, the main concerns I have are with the Android App. Since I do most of my 'reading' on this handheld devices, this is a major desire.
- To illustrate: I fly through books with my old Kindle [with TTS], and though epubs & pdfs [with TTS on Moon+ Reader] on my tablet & phone... yet I can't [yet] keep up with reading groups & friends with my Logos App. This is because the additional time slots I have to use toward reading are "on the go", and [currently] come with some inconveniences: I have to pull over the car to copy & paste additional sections to be read aloud, and I don't feel safe to read it as I walk at night, since I have to turn on the screen to turn pages [I live in a developing country]. Due to these issues, I still do most of my reading of journals on pdf and continue to purchase group-reading books on kindle.
- I would gladly pay [ie: as "community pricing" features, or monthly subscriptions] toward the of production of better TTS features if that would help ETA's.
- PLEASE do not do what Amazon did after merging with Audible.com: disable TTS [on new devices] in light of also selling Audiobooks. (I am not inferring intent on the part of Amazon, only effect.) ...[Here, I am referencing the launch of "logos.com/audiobooks".]
Thank you,- Travis
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Hi Adam:
Thanks for setting up this forum. I just noticed it.
I have an inherited retinal disease, retinitis pigmentosa, that severely restricts my field of vision (aka tunnel-vision) and also limits visibility in dark or low-light conditions and presents other light-dark issues. While mobility can be an adventure (I use a cane), my particular grant of Providence is that, within that field of vision, I can still see well enough to maintain meaningful employment and to use computers, tablets, and phones without using specific accessibility tools, other than a large mouse pointer with trails, and slightly larger text. I use Read Aloud on the desktop, but mostly as a convenience. Also, like many other Android users, I would like to have Read Aloud on my tablet and phone.
Even though I don't currently use major accessibility features, I intend to keep up with threads here.
macOS (Logos Pro - Beta) | Android 13 (Logos Stable)
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Hello there, we are off to a good start I use speech recognition software and this forum allows me to enter text by speech and has what we call falls select and say functionality – well done. I am here hands-free – although I can use my keyboard
Firstly I would like to thank Logos over all the many years of hanging on to all my purchases and CDs and making available online – well done
A request concerning your online usage:
1. I would like to be able to have the function of having words highlighted as they are read out aloud to me
2. I would like the page or column that I am having read aloud to me to automatically scroll down so that the narrated text is in the frame
3. Seeing that I have a full range of sapi voices I would like to be able to choose my own voice for the read back.
In the interest of disclosure I really only read the King James Bible, I'm not interested in Greek or Hebrew lexicons but I would like to see some more material from the 1770 period in the UK. I have your edition of the works of John Fletcher & John Worsley. It is part of the history and the teaching that I get the most benefit from.
Cheers for now
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As I am more recent to my vision loss, and have been going through various training on living with this, it has made me much more aware of the vast differences in vision impairment between people. I respect Logos for your commitment to those of us with these varying needs. I'll help as I am able, but I'm still learning what really works for me and what I, myself, need to navigate.
I use Logos to prepare sermons, so I am in multiple bibles, commentaries and dictionaries.
I don't use screen readers (yet). I have found that I can read on an inverted color scheme (white font on black background) and my Mac has a hot-key to switch this. As well, I increase the font size fairly large
For me, the issue is both field of vision and dimness of vision. My primary concern is contrast.
1. It is very difficult to tell the difference between active and inactive tabs. It is very difficult to tell where one tab starts and one ends. It would be very helpful to have more solid/clear indications (thick lines between tabs or a darker inactive tabs).
2. It is also tricky to click on various things and I find myself often clicking on the close button accidentally or opening something I didn't want to open by accident. It would be VERY helpful to have a quick key (like Command-Z in Word) to UNDO the last thing I did. The frustration of trying to figure out what I just accidentally did and then trying to figure out how to fix it could be much less hassle with this feature.
3. As well, the font sizes of the popups when hovering over words doesn't seem to be adjustable and is quite small. A way to adjust this would be very helpful.
4. Thicker lines of demarcation on popup windows (including menus, layouts, library columns, etc.) would also be very helpful.
I realize that much of what I suggest takes away from the "elegance" of the more modern designs of programs. But if it were added as a type of theme that was available to folks like me, that would be very helpful.
I also realize that every visually impaired person is quite different and probably has drastically different needs. I don't use the screen reader-functionality like others, so I couldn't help with that.
Thanks for being willing to help those of us who are experiencing life differently! It's a lot of work to have to relearn how to do so much in life. It's a blessing to know that Logos cares.
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I would really like to see speech to text enabled on Zondervan resources. Many of the resources that I use are published by Zondervan and my Apple speech to text Will not work.
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Mike McKnelly said:
I would really like to see speech to text enabled on Zondervan resources.
I think you mean text to speech.
I recently noticed Read Aloud is enabled for all Zondervan titles in one of my libraries.
I would appreciate reading what other people find when checking if recently purchased Zondervan titles allow Read Aloud.
A new thread was started: Zondervan resources not assessable
"The Christian mind is the prerequisite of Christian thinking. And Christian thinking is the prerequisite of Christian action." - Harry Blamires, 1963
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• How do you typically navigate Logos? Keyboard commands
• What is your primary purpose for using Logos? What tasks do you perform most often? reading text and searches e.g. which books/articles is xxx found in? [these are very difficult currently because I have to export the articles to read the results.]
• What are your biggest accessibility needs in Logos? better reading view for screen readers with braille displays, better access to search panels
• What screenreader do you use? If another screenreader worked better with Logos, would you be willing to switch? JAWS, not willing to switch; cross-screen reader access is essential; read-aloud function is not sufficient for those who use ancient languages for critical study.
• What else do you think is vital for us to know? I encourage you to talk with blind people who use your products-. Have conversations with us. Use the TeamViewer to watch us use Logos and observe how it works (or doesn't).
Sarah Blake LaRose, D.Min.
Logos user since 2007
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Posts 7
• What is your primary purpose for using Logos? What tasks do you perform most often?
reading text and searches e.g. which books/articles is xxx found in? [these are very difficult currently because I have to export the articles to read the results.] including original languages for sermon prep and Bible study prep; research for academic writing
• What are your biggest accessibility needs in Logos?
better reading view for screen readers with braille displays
• What screen reader do you use? If another screen reader worked better with Logos, would you be willing to switch?
Window-Eyes, not willing to switch; cross-screen reader access is essential; read-aloud function is not sufficient for those who use ancient languages for critical study.
• What else do you think is vital for us to know?
I encourage you to talk with blind people who use your products-. Have conversations with us. Use the TeamViewer to watch us use Logos and observe how it works (or doesn't).
You may notice I copied much of Sarah Blake Larose's answers as we have similar needs, but we use different screen readers.
I also use an Android phone but have not installed your app.
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[:)][:D][:O][:P]
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*Bump*
Adam, please Sticky this or an equivalent new thread.
“The trouble is that everyone talks about reforming others and no one thinks about reforming himself.” St. Peter of Alcántara
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This thread is already "sticky" at the top of the Accessibility forum.
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The biggest desire I have for accessibility functions would be compatibility with Google Talkback. Similar functionality with Siri exists with iOS, and while I had an iPhone it gave me the capacity to listen to resources when needed. A similar functionality with Android would be fantastic.
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I might be able to help you, I also use voiceover on IOS, what you want to do is open your book or whatever, have voiceover turned on and then find where it says resource content, let it read there and then flick with 3 fingers like your turning the page, in reality thats what your doing, then it will read no problem, once you get to the end of that page just flick again, voiceover reads no problem this way, hope this helps.
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IOS and Android are different though.
Have you been able to confirm that you can get Talkback (TTS) to work on an Android device?
Android's "Select to Speak" now works with the Kindle app (it didn't before), but it I can not get it to work with Logos books.
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I just found an Android option that [basically] works!
Now, on my phone, there is a small overlay button. When I click it, the Logos book displayed on the screen is read out loud with TTS!
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To achieve this, I had to use two other (non-logos) apps. They both need to be enabled to run in the background:
1. "Textus - Screenshot to Text (Best OCR Scanner)"
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=us.textus.app&hl=en
This app takes a srceenshot without displaying or saving the file. It automatically runs OCR and sends the text obtained to the clipboard.
2. "@Voice Aloud Reader (TTS Reader)"
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.hyperionics.avar&hl=en
This app automatically reads aloud the clipboard (tts).
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So far, this solution is "very usable". I have been pleased and excited! It is by no means perfect though. For example, I keep needing to grant permission for Textus to "Read Screen" again and again - the permission seems to turn off by itself. Also, @Voice often will not start reading until I switch to that app (I can easily and quickly switch back and forth though, so that is ok). Finally, the results of the OCR are inconsistent. Some words are read wrong and sometimes lines are skipped.
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With that, I would like to make an observation and renewed request...
A. Observations:
i. There seems to be a workable solution to enable TTS on Android.
ii. The solution is far from ideal.
B. Request:
Could Logos take another look at the potential for adding this feature for Andoid?
I would hope that a similar functionality (i.e. sufficient for monolingual, modern language books) could be built into the app using Screenshot (or automatic selecting of text in current display/paragraph) and TTS (or send to clipboard) technologies (though I realize that, if text was sent to an external clipboard, there could also be copyright concerns to negotiate with publishers).
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Thanks for hunting this down. I appreciate your ingenuity and I will consider using it. I have also found an app called ezPDF Reader Pro which has a built-in TTS function. Obviously, as the name of the app entails, it only reads PDF's, but my thought is that if I could paste Logos text into a doc and then save as a PDF, I could transfer it to my phone and listen to it that way.
At any rate, you are correct that these kinds of methods, while passable in a pinch, are certainly not ideal, and sometimes not very practical. Logos would do well to enable this sort of functionality. Recently, Amazon incorporated TTS for Kindle books via Alexa, and you can even turn off your screen while it reads. This should be doable.
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