How to Use This Site
Which browser should I use?
Navigating this site will be best with Internet Explorer 4.0 or above or Netscape Navigator 4.0 or above. Some features, such as videos, work best with newer versions. Installing a browser is easy and free. To install the latest version of Internet Explorer, click here. To install the latest version of the Netscape browser, click here.
Some files say I need Adobe Acrobat Reader to use them. What is that?
Adobe® Acrobat Reader® is free software that lets you view and print Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) files. PDF is a universal file format that preserves all the fonts, formatting, graphics, and color of any source document, regardless of the application and platform used to create it. You can download Adobe Acrobat Reader from Adobe's Web site.
How do I watch the videos?
To view the videos, you need a media player. If you have a new computer, your machine probably came with a media player installed. If you don't have one installed, however, you can download a media player for free. Several videos on this site are available in three formats: Windows Media Player, QuickTime, and RealPlayer. Some are only available in QuickTime. If you want to see them, you'll need to install QuickTime even if you already have a media player.
Click one of the links below to download the media player file you want.
Some Tips on Playing Videos
- Check the wires from your speakers to your computer to ensure there is a solid connection. If you get a crackly sound or no sound at all, a loose wire may be the problem.
- Turn up the volume. Most speakers have volume controls on the front of one or two speakers. Make sure the speakers are switched to "on" and the volume control is set high enough to hear sound. You may need to check the multimedia or speaker setting on your Control Panel to make sure that the volume is set properly and the "mute" box is not checked.
- If you get the video portion but no sound, the problem might be a lack of hardware. Your computer may not have a sound card or speakers. If you don't have external speakers, your speakers may be built into the monitor - the volume controls may be on your monitor.
- Sometimes the sound or video (or both) skips and jumps ahead or the synchronization of the sound and video is off. These difficulties relate to the capacity of your computer and your Internet connection. Upgrading to a faster modem (at least 56K) can help. Even then, you can have problems if your computer is busy running other programs. Try closing all applications except your browser and your media player. If the problem persists, you might have to add memory to your computer.
- Wait for the buffering. A short delay of 20 or 30 seconds is normal while the media file loads.
What is Section 508 about and how does it affect my use of the site?
Section 508 requires that when Federal agencies develop, procure, maintain, or use electronic and information technology (EIT), Federal employees with disabilities have comparable access to and use of information and data as Federal employees who have no disabilities, unless an undue burden would be imposed on the agency. Section 508 also requires that individuals with disabilities, who are members of the public seeking information or services from a Federal agency, have comparable access to and use of information and data as the public without disabilities, unless an undue burden would be imposed on the agency.
In addition, other Federal regulations and guidelines (e.g., Section 501 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act) require equal access for individuals with disabilities. Therefore, Federal agencies are required, upon request, to provide information and data to individuals with disabilities through an alternative means of access that can be used by the individuals.
If you have any other questions, please Contact Us.
