Help with downloading documents

Most of the documents available for download on this website are in PDF format. Other formats include Microsoft Word and rtf. The notes below are designed to help you if you are having difficulty downloading documents.

What is a PDF?

The downloadable documents available within this site are usually in Portable Document Format (often referred to as PDF). A standard adopted by governments and organisations worldwide, PDF is a reliable format for electronic document exchange that preserves document integrity so files can be viewed and printed on a variety of platforms. We chose to make all downloadable documents in this file format for data security and integrity reasons.

How can I open and view a PDF document?

In order to view a PDF document, you need free software called Adobe Acrobat Reader, created by the company called Adobe. However PDFs are not easily accessible to all users so Adobe has developed a method of converting PDF documents into HTML (normal web pages), a more accessible format for assistive technologies.

How do I convert a PDF document into HTML?

The URL (the web address) of a PDF document will appear in the web browser address bar when it is selected. Copy the url (normally looks like this: www.nameofsomething...) and then visit Adobe's website on the link below.

Once you have clicked on the link above, you will see an online form created by Adobe. Simply paste the URL into the box you will see and the contents of the PDF will be automatically converted to HTML - an ordinary web page; and in that form it should then be accessible.

There are further features and capabilities of Adobe products that enhance electronic document accessibility for people with disabilities such as blindness, low vision, and motor impairments. You can visit their website using the link below, where you will find this information and links to resources that help people with disabilities work more effectively with Adobe software.

• http://access.adobe.com
  Adobe website, accessibility information

How can I view a Word file if I don't have Microsoft Word software?

Microsoft has made a free Word Viewer available to download at http://office.microsoft.com/downloads/ In the Download Centre select Product (Word), Version (2000) and put a tick in the box marked Converters and Viewers. Click on the "Update List" button. When the list appears scroll down to find the Word 97/2000 Viewer (Word 2000) and choose the one that best suits your PC's operating system (either Windows 95/98/NT or 3.x). Then click on the "Download Now" option.