In an effort to make the Voices of Civil Rights website accessible to all users, this page has been created to explain how the website works. This page includes information about features that have been added to the site to increase accessibility, how the pages of the site are structured, how the navigational system works, and descriptions of some of the most useful features on the site. A link to this page is provided on each page of the website. The link is located in the footer navigation and is available to all users. The title of the link is "website accessibility." The topics covered on this page are listed in the following menu. Each menu item is a link to jump directly to the topic. At the end of each topic is a link to return to this menu. Topic Menu Accessibility Features
Site Structure
Site Navigation
Story Search Forms
Multi-media Features
Browser Requirements and Plug-ins
Screen Magnification
Accessibility Features The following features have been specifically designed to help users who employ screen readers and other assistive technologies to better navigate and use the site, and access all of the site's information and features.Images and Graphics
Alternate text (ALT TEXT) is provided for all link graphics and image graphics. Offsite Links
Hyperlinks to other websites will open in a new browser window. To return to the Voices of Civil Rights website, close the new browser window. Textlinks
Consideration has been given to creating descriptive textlinks. Additionally, some textlinks have been augmented with the TITLE attribute to provide additional information and to clarify their purpose. To take advantage of this feature, be sure to enable your assistive software to recognize the TITLE attribute. Consistent Site Structure and Layout
All pages of the site are divided into three sections. This format remains consistent throughout the entire site, enabling you to familiarize yourself and become comfortable with the site quickly. The structure is explained in detail in the Site Structure section below. Consistent Site Navigation
The navigational structure remains consistent throughout the entire site, enabling you to move easily and quickly through the site. The navigation is explained in detail in the Site Navigation section below. Skip Navigation Link
There is a Skip Navigation link available on all pages except the home page. This link permits you to skip over the navigation and jump directly to the main information on the page. This link is located at the beginning of each page. The title of the link is "Skip navigation and jump to page content." Accessible Alternate Content for Multi-media Features
Accessible content has been provided for all of the multi-media features on the site. The alternate content is accessible to screen readers and other assistive technologies. The alternate content contains all of the vital information found in the multi-media features. This is explained in detail in the Multi-media section below. Return to the Topic Menu
Site Structure The pages of the Voices of Civil Rights site are divided into three main sections. The first section includes the primary navigation for the site, where you can access areas of content.The second section contains the main content of the page, as well as links to the personal stories of people who were involved in civil rights activities. There is a heading at the beginning of the content on each page. The heading always begins with "Content heading:". The third section contains the footer navigation links, where you can access administrative and informational pages such as policies and contact information. The footer navigation links remain constant throughout the site. Return to the Topic Menu
Site Navigation The navigation includes links to the main page of each area of the site. These links are present on all pages of the site. After following one of these links to the main page of an area, links to the pages that are within that area will follow the main page links.Additionally, each page of the site includes two links to the home page: the Voices of Civil Rights logo graphic located at the beginning of the page, and a link labeled "Home." The footer navigation links that follow the content on each page remain constant throughout the site. Return to the Topic Menu
Story Search Forms The story search form is located in "The Voices" section of the site and enables you to search for particular stories in the Voices of Civil Rights collection. You can search by subject, year, location, keyword, author’s last name, or a combination of any or all of these.There is also an advanced search form for stories. This form can be accessed from the story search form by following the "Advanced Search" link. The advanced search form provides additional fields, allowing you to also search by author's city, author's state, author's race, and author's gender. Understanding how this form works work will better enable you to successfully complete and search for stories.- Required Form Fields: Some fields must be completed for the form to be submitted. A star (*) is used to indicate which form fields are required.
- Resetting the Form: A Reset button allows you to clear all of the fields.
- Confirmation Messages: If you have successfully submitted a form, you will receive a message confirming your submission.
Return to the Topic Menu
Multi-media Features There are numerous multi-media features on the site. The multi-media features require browser plug-ins.Timeline
The timeline is an interactive feature that details the pivotal events in civil rights history and includes a glossary of key terms. The timeline requires the Flash plug-in. An alternate, accessible version of the timeline is provided if your browser does not have the Flash plug-in.
Alternate version of the timeline Music Video
The music video is a collection of civil rights photos set to music. The music video requires the Flash plug-in. An alternate, accessible version of the video is provided if your browser does not have the Flash plug-in.
Alternate version of the music video Photo Gallery
The photo gallery is a collection of civil rights photos with captions. The photo gallery requires the Flash plug-in. An alternate, accessible version of the photo gallery is provided if your browser does not have the Flash plug-in.
Alternate version of the photo gallery The Quiz
You can test your knowledge of the people, places and events that shaped the Civil Rights Movement with the quiz. The quiz requires the Flash plug-in. An alternate, accessible version of the quiz is provided if your browser does not have the Flash plug-in.
Alternate version of the quiz Audio Files
Links to audio files will open and play in the default player that you have set up on your computer to play audio files, such as RealPlayer or QuickTime. Return to the Topic Menu
Browser Requirements and Plug-ins The Voices of Civil Rights website is designed for the most commonly used browsers as of Spring 2004 (Netscape 6.0 and higher and Internet Explorer 5.0 and higher) that are JavaScript enabled. If your browser varies from these minimum requirements, the site may not render properly. Visit the respective browser provider for information about updating your browser.Browser Plug-ins
The Voices of Civil Rights website requires the following browser plug-ins in order to access all information, multi-media features, and design elements. The plug-ins are free downloads and are intended to enrich your overall experience. Flash
Downloading Flash will provide access to interactive multi-media elements on the website, such as the timeline and civil rights quiz. Follow the instructions on the Macromedia website to perform this free download.
Download the Flash plug-in QuickTime
Downloading QuickTime will provide access to audio and video features. Follow the instructions on the Apple website to perform this free download.
Download the QuickTime plug-in Adobe Acrobat PDF
Downloading Acrobat Reader will provide access to informational documents on the website. Follow the instructions on the Adobe website to perform this free download.
Download Adobe Acrobat Reader Return to the Topic Menu
Screen Magnification Users experiencing difficulty reading the text are encouraged to take one or more of the following actions to increase the size of the text.Internet Explorer Browser Users
Enable the accessibility feature within the "Internet Options" menu that permits text size to be increased. Follow these instructions to access this menu:
- From the "Tools" option in the menubar at the top of the browser window, select "Internet Options."
- The Internet Options menu will open. Select the "Accessibility" button near the bottom.
- The Accessibility menu will open. Check the checkbox labeled "Ignore font sizes specified on Web pages."
- Select the "OK" button. The Accessibility menu will close. The Internet Options menu will remain.
- Select the "OK" button. The Internet Options menu will close.
Now that the accessibility feature has been enabled, follow these instructions to increase the text size:
- Select "View" from the menubar at the top of the browser window.
- A menu will appear. Select "Text Size."
- Choose the text size that best enables you to view the site.
Netscape Navigator Browser Users
- From the menubar at the top of the browser window, select "View."
- A menu will appear. Select "Text Zoom."
- Choose the text size that best enables you to view the site.
Return to the Topic Menu | 
