kiwix/kiwix-desktop

Suggestions for making Kiwix-desktop accessible for blind people

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#1,083 opened on Apr 11, 2024

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Description

Hello Kiwix team,

I notice from Kiwix-desktop, is not accessible by Orca the free screen reader under Linux.

I made a video which shows the behavior of Orca with Kiwix, Kiwix-server and Firefox in narration mode: http://share.emmabuntus.org/Accessibility/Kiwix_vs_Kiwix_server_vs_Firefox_narrate.mp4

In this video, we analyze that Orca cannot read the content of the encyclopedia in Kiwix-desktop, while this is possible with Kiwix-server and Firefox.

So, it would be good for you to analyze why Orca-desktop content cannot be read by Orca. This may be the same with any other screen reader. If you want to test this, simply install Orca and launch it and open an application to see if it can read its content : https://ncu.libanswers.com/faq/366630

Regarding Firefox's narration mode, it is implemented by typing Alt+Ctrl+R then pressing N to start reading. Currently, it is the best mode for reading content for blind people because it does not read links, parentheses, and it tracks reading.

I hope that my comments will help you make Kiwix-desktop accessible to blind people.

Contributor guide

Research direction
Investigate why Orca screen reader cannot read Kiwix desktop content. Likely the application does not expose proper accessibility information (AT SPI on Linux). Check if widgets are accessible, ensure labels and roles are set, and consider implementing ARIA or Qt accessibility features. Alternatively, evaluate using Kiwix server with a web interface for better screen reader support.
Tech stack
None
Domain
desktopaccessibility
Issue type
Bug
DifficultyEstimated implementation difficulty for a new contributor, from 1 for very small changes to 5 for expert-level work.
2
Estimated timeA rough time range for an experienced contributor to investigate, implement, test, and prepare a pull request.
1-3 hours
Activity statusHow available the issue appears right now: fresh, active, stale, blocked, or waiting on maintainer input.
Active
ClarityHow clearly the issue explains the expected change, acceptance criteria, and next step.
Clear
Prerequisites
C++LinuxAccessibility APIs (AT SPI)
Newbie friendlinessA 1-100 score estimating how approachable this issue is for first-time contributors.
65