Problem with lightdm

[Linux for blind general discussion]

Until about six months ago, when I booted up  lightdm would ask what user to log into and the password. It would then set up console 7, set the screen for this console to graphics mode and start  Orca. It would not affect the other consoles, so i could continue to use them in command mode, with brltrty. Now lightdm just sets the screen to graphics mode without asking anything. I have to use systemctl to disable it, so I can use the machine. 
How can I get the former behavior back? As it is, I can't use Mate at all.

Thanks,
John

-- 
John J. Boyer
Email: john.boyer at abilitiessoft.org
website: http://www.abilitiessoft.org
Status: Company dissolved but website and email addresses  live.
Location: Madison, Wisconsin, USA
Mission: developing assistive technology software and providing STEM services 
        that are available at no cost