Accessibility   [Return to Navigation Links]

The Yucca Mountain Project is committed to making its documents accessible to all users. These technical documents have undergone a redesign in accordance with provisions of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act as Amended in 1998. They include current tagging and mark-up for HTML tables, accessible math, and alternative text descriptions of figures linked via D-links and longdesc links. An ASCII plain text file is always included to assure some level of accommodation to all browsers, and a PDF file is included as well.

These documents are coded using frames. There is a "no frames" link to the table of contents if needed. If your browser cannot use frames or you choose to disable this function, you will be directed to the "no frames" links. There you will find plain text (ASCII), PDF, and HTML links to this document.

Adobe Systems, Inc. is producing various products designed to make PDF documents accessible to persons using screen reading software. Their accessibility webpages describe their efforts. They also have a free downloadable accessibility plug-in called, MakeAccessible. This plug-in runs under Microsoft Windows 95 OSR 2.0, Windows 98, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows NT 4.0 with SP 5 or SP 6, or Windows 2000. Each system should have at least 64 MB (128 MB recommended) of RAM per processor, 200 MB of virtual memory, and 870 K of disk space available. The MakeAccessible Plug-in creates a tagged Adobe PDF file from an untagged PDF file. This allows a pdf document to be read by a screen reader for greater accessibility.

Finally, if you require another format of this document, please contact our toll-free information line at 1-800-225-6972. In order to expedite your request, please have the document reference number or full title ready when placing your call. If you have difficulty with this site, wish to offer comments, or if you have any Section 508-related questions or suggestions regarding how we might improve our effort please contact Web Publishing Management, Bonna Savarise, at bonna_savarise@ymp.gov, or call (702) 295-6513. Lew Neddo, Manager of Document Development and Production can be reached at lewis_neddo@ymp.gov.

About "Frames"   [Return to Navigation Links]

If your browser is frames-enabled, there will be three "frames" in your browser window. One frame spans almost the entire width of the browser window, at the top of the screen, and extends down about an eighth of the way; there are two other "frames" below it. The frame on the left is a narrow table of contents and the frame on the left is larger and contains the Main Document. You may not see where one frame ends or another begins due to design criteria, but the top and left side frames remain "static" whenever a link is executed, while the right "main" frame slides text up or down when a link is executed. Sometimes a new window pops up when a link is chosen which allows the user to see supporting information and still view the main document. Simply minimize the pop-up window, move to the side, or close the window to see the main document.

"Why Use Frames" an Article

Navigation

The top frame provides a fixed location from which the user can access links to reference citations, an acronym key, figures, tables, and the help file. When the user selects a link located in the top frame, a new browser window will open with the desired information. This new window provides a quick method for locating figures, tables, or references cited in the document.

For example, if you click on Acronyms in the Navigation bar you will notice a new browser window opens to display a list of acronyms for this document. You may move the new browser window aside or minimize it to be accessed when necessary. When you are finished you can close the Acronyms window.

The left hand frame contains the table of contents for the document. Each header, section title, figure and table is linked here. When the user selects header or sectional links within the TOC frame, the information will appear at the top of the right hand frame where the main portion of the document resides. For example, if the user selects Section 2.3 within the TOC frame, Section 2.3 will appear at the uppermost top of the Main frame. When the user selects a different section from the TOC frame, the contents of the Main frame "slide" either up or down to present the requested information. Table and figure links open a new browser window just like they do in the top frame links.

Viewing Documents Online   [Return to Navigation Links]

Various browsers interpret the same source code differently. What appears on the screen of the originators computer will not necessarily look like what the viewer sees. We try to code these documents using recommendations offered by the W3C and compliant under accessibility rules (section 508 § 1194.22) regarding web-based intranet and internet information. We seek to use proper structural coding which may or may not appear like print versions of the document. This insures the widest possible audience will be able to access these files. There are a number of things that you can do to optimize your experience using these pages as well, such as using a current browser if possible. Microsoft and Netscape browsers are available as free downloads at the following links:

DISCLAIMER    [Return to Navigation Links]

This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, nor any of their contractors, subcontractors or their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or any third party's use or the results of such use of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof or its contractors or subcontractors. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof.

There are a wide variety of formats for viewing documents. The main format types at this site are ASCII text, Adobe Acrobat Portable Document Format (PDF), and Hypertext Markup Language (HTML).

Hypertext Markup Language (HTML)   [Return to Navigation Links]

Why we use the Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) format.
An HTML file is the document that a Web browser receives from a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) server. It is an ASCII text file with tags that signal how the browser should display the contents. HTML documents can be presented with formatting, graphics, and links. The markup used to prepare an HTML file for distribution on the internet can be very simple or extremely complex. It is easy to learn, and browser manufacturers have created software that forgives many errors in coding so that a good representation of intent may be delivered if not an exact duplication of an original hardcopy. There are limits to it's ability to deliver formatting due to text encoding issues (ASCII only defines 127 text characters), different platform requirements, (UNIX, Windows, Macintosh, TTY, and ACCESSIBILITY devices), and various implementations of HTML itself. Its great appeal is the universal acceptance of the format and the widespread distribution and implementation of user agents throughout the world. New standards such as XML are being implemented by various proponents, but for the moment HTML allows a close facsimile of a document to be distributed quickly and conveniently to many different users. Sometimes a user agent will not interpret coding as intended, and the possibility for some information to be lost in translation from one medium to another exists. While we try to mitigate this possibility by using various file formats for distribution, the user needs to be aware of the limits of the medium.
Library of congress article on HTML.

ASCII Text   [Return to Navigation Links]

Portable Document Format (PDF)   [Return to Navigation Links]

How to Obtain Adobe Acrobat Reader

Following are the System Requirements for Acrobat Reader 5.0:

Saving a PDF file:

If the PDF file opens within your browser’s window, you can save it by choosing "Save As" from the "File" menu. It will automatically save as a PDF file.

Otherwise, you have two options: Right-click on the "PDF" link and choose "Save link as" or "Save target as" from the menu that appears. Hold down the "shift" key and left-click on the "PDF" link.

Having problems with PDF Files?

Should you experience PDF files appearing as a blank window within Internet Explorer after downloading and are using Adobe Acrobat Reader version 3.0 or earlier, please upgrade to a later version.

If this does not resolve the issue please follow the following steps:

Use the "Save Target As" or "Save Link As" option to download the PDF file directly to your hard drive and bypass the Acrobat Reader plug-in.

1. Using the right-side mouse button click on the file (click on the title link) you are interested in.

2. Select the "save target as" option in Internet Explorer, or "save link as" in Netscape.

3. Save as type should be "Adobe Acrobat Document" or "all files."

4. Make sure you name the file (or accept the name supplied).

5. Know the location of where you are saving it.

6. Hit save.

7. Use the Adobe Acrobat Reader to open the file after downloading.

Other Acrobat Add-ons

Once you've downloaded and installed the Acrobat Reader, you'll be able to view PDF files simply by clicking on the link to the PDF file in your browser. Either the browser will handle the PDF file, or it will bring up another program for viewing the PDF file. Either way, a special window will appear that contains buttons that work only for PDF files. Use these buttons to navigate through the file.

If you want to print the PDF file, you must use the print button located within the Adobe Acrobat viewer (usually this is just above the document on the left side). Use of the browser print button or the browser's "File, Print" command will not result in a correct printout.

HOW TO FIND TEXT    [Return to Navigation Links]

To search for text on the current Web page:

About Reference Links   [Return to Navigation Links]

1. Click on the browser's "Back" button (This will display the previously-accessed list of page images).

2. Save the link to your hard disk (Windows - right-click the link and select "Save Target As..."; MacOS - click the link and hold until a pop-up menu appears and select "Save Link As..."). The file will contain a ".tiff" extension. We recommend you change the extension to ".tif".

3. Open the saved image in another graphic application.

ABOUT THIS PROJECT    [Return to Navigation Links]