Accessibility Help

Accessibility Statement

We are committed to ensuring equal access for everyone who visits our Web site. This includes individuals with varying vision and/or hearing abilities, various Web browsers (e.g., Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Opera), and users with slower connection speeds, such as dial-up. (Please note that our streaming media files have been optimized for 128k-or-higher connections using RealPlayer. While the streaming media titles will play over a 56k dial-up connection, dial-up users may experience intermittent delays during playback due to bandwidth limitations.)

Using the Site

To set your preferred browser display settings while using the DCMP Web site, log in and click on the “Customize” link located in the top right section of the page. The “Customize Web Site” section allows you to change the site layout, colors, and fonts to suit your preferences. This feature will only affect your Web browser’s display settings for the DCMP Web site and will not affect your computer’s display settings or the look of any other Web sites you may visit. Also, these settings are independent of your browser’s text size settings; therefore, if your text size is set to “Largest” in Internet Explorer, setting the font size to “Large” on the DCMP site could make the text too large for your screen. Your customized display settings will be saved to your DCMP account and will be automatically set each time you log in to the site.

If you require a larger font size on the site, it is recommended that you consider viewing the site in text-only mode for improved site performance and visibility. To view the site in text-only mode, click on the “Text-Only” link in the top right corner of the screen. This will remove all banners, pictures, and frames, allowing for easier site navigation. This format may also be preferable for screen reader users. (See the “Tips for Screen Reader Users” section below for more information.)

Where to Start

Use the site map to get an overview of the site or to select any of the main topic areas. While in graphic-based mode, the main topic areas are arranged as folder tabs across the top of the page and can be accessed quickly from any page on the site. In text-only mode, the main topic areas will be listed as top-level links in a hierarchical fashion.

When viewing the site in graphic-based mode, each page includes a site navigation bar (i.e., “breadcrumbs”) near the top of the page as well as general information links at the bottom of the page. Depending upon which main section you are viewing, the site navigation bar gives you quick access to every level above your current page location, going all the way back to the home page. The information links at the bottom of the page link to the DCMP privacy policy, contact information, and site map (respectively).

How the Site is Built for Accessibility

Layout

The site uses Cascading Style Sheets (CSS2) to help maintain consistent presentation and layout. As a result, users who are visually impaired can adjust many visual aspects of the site (e.g., size, color, and contrast) to suit their individual preferences.

Content

The content has been written and formatted to make it accessible. For example, alt tags have been embedded for image description, links use meaningful text, forms can be navigated using the “Tab” key, and heading tags are employed to convey structural information and page layout, which all allow for easier site navigation when using a screen reader.

Tips for Screen Reader Users

top

Site Organization and Navigation

The site is divided into seven main topic areas: Home, About Us, Media Library, Clearinghouse, Service Vendors, Public Relations, and Help. Each of these areas has subsections. For example, the Media Library section contains the following subsections: Browse, Search, and Favorites. Many subsections have corresponding subsections of their own. When viewing the site in graphic-based mode, navigation links will be located in the left-hand column and at the top of the main content window. When viewing the site in text-only mode, the main topic areas and corresponding subsections will be listed in hierarchical fashion starting at the top of the page with the content located at the bottom of the page. Heading tags are employed throughout the site to denote the main topic areas (heading level 1) and subsections (heading levels 2, 3, and 4).

"Skip to Content" Link

Every page on the site has a “Skip to Content” link at the top of the site that will allow you to jump straight to the main content window. This link is invisible to sighted users, but it is read by screen reader software. It is recommended to use this link to avoid having to tab through the navigation bar in the left-hand column when in graphic-based mode.

Text-Only Mode

It is possible to select the “Text-Only” link from any page on the site. Using the text-only option will remove all banners, pictures, and frames, allowing for easier site navigation when using a keyboard or when viewing the site with a low screen resolution (e.g., 800 x 600 or lower). Once you select the “Text-Only” link, it will be necessary to select the “Graphic-Based” link to restore the graphics. (Note: The graphic-based and text-only views are functionally equivalent. Selecting either option will not remove or alter any textual content on the page.)

Site Map

The site map represents a complete listing of the pages on the DCMP site in hierarchical fashion. You can find the site map easily from any page on the DCMP Web site by using your screen reader’s “Links List” dialog box. Scroll to the very bottom of the list, and you will find the site map link (above the “Top of Page” link).

Access Keys

The main topic areas, as well as several other sections on the site, employ access key attributes. The access key attribute will allow you to move between the topic areas by simply holding down the Alt key on your keyboard and then pressing the associated access key letter or number. For example, pressing Alt+M on any page will take you to the Media Library section of our site. When you first open a page on the site, your screen reader will speak the access key for each topic area (e.g., “Media Library Alt+M”). Also, the access keys will be noted in your screen reader’s “Links List” dialog box.

Searching the Site

If you are in the graphic-based mode, the left-hand column of the site contains a search box that can be accessed using your screen reader’s “Form Fields” feature. The search bar will be listed as “search edit” when viewing form fields on any page on our site. Alternately, you can access the search bar by simply pressing Alt+Shift+S, which will take you directly to the search field. Enter your search query in the search field and hit the “Enter” key to retrieve relevant results from our site.

The search results page will offer categorized results. The first category will provide the top five results from the DCMP Web site. The second category will provide the top five media results from the DCMP Web site. The third category, at the bottom of the results page, delivers results from a number of sites, including the DCMP Web site and our collaborator’s Web sites.

To search the Web site in text-only mode, select any search link from any page on the site. Selecting the search link will take you to our Google-powered gateway. The search gateway will allow you to define your search by category and/or site. If your cursor is in the search box and you tab over once to the drop-down menu (note: you will need to enter "forms mode" to navigate the various menu options), you will be given the following search categories to choose from (listed from top to bottom):

Once you have entered your search terms and made your category selection, simply tab once to the search button and hit the “Enter” key to start your query.

For Ordering and/or Viewing Media (Level 2 Members Only)

To order a media item from the site, press Alt+M to go to the Media Library section of the site (or use your screen reader’s “Links List” feature). Once there you can browse by subject and/or search by keyword. Performing a keyword search will generally provide the most comprehensive results spanning several different subject areas, while browsing by subject will give you all of the titles available in a particular category. The titles are arranged by subject categories, so choosing “Browse” will require you to navigate the various topic sub-categories until you find the particular title or titles you are looking for.

Once you have found a video you would like to order, place focus on the “adds title to list for borrowing” button and hit your space bar to select the title for borrowing. Alternately, you can place the title in your Favorites by selecting the “adds title to favorites” button. Adding the title to your Favorites list will allow you to create a personalized catalog that you can then view, print, or export by opening the Favorites link under the Media Library section.

When you’re ready to check out, use Shift+Tab to tab back up to the “Click here to borrow titles selected” button and hit the “Enter” key to process your order. You will be prompted to log in if you have not already done so. Tab down to the “pending orders” checkbox and select the checkbox for DVD, Stream (for streamed video), or Web (for streamed applications) delivery. (Note: Media accessibility features will be denoted with a “C” for captioned media and a “D” for described media. You will hear the media format followed by the accessibility feature(s). For example, when selecting a DVD title that has been both captioned and described, you will hear “DVD C D”.)

To select the DVD checkbox, it will be necessary to select both the Delivery Address radio button and a Delivery Date. The first available delivery date will be indicated directly after the DVD title number. You will hear “available if date changes to …”. Use Shift+Tab to tab back up to the Delivery Date section and enter your desired date of delivery into the “date edit” form field using the MM/DD/YYYY format. Tab once to confirm your mailing address and select the delivery address radio button, if not already selected. Tab again and select the button labeled “Check Availability.” The DVD checkbox should now be available. If it is still not available, check the “available if date changes to” information again to be sure you have selected a date that will allow you to receive your order. Confirm your order and then use the Shift+Tab keys to tab back up to the “Place Order” button. Hit the “Enter” key to place your order.

Streaming titles will be available immediately and can be accessed by selecting the "Watch Media" link both on the ordering screen under “Order History” and under the section entitled "Last 5 Orders" on your MyDCMP page. After placing your order you can tab to the “Select New Items” button to search for other media items, or you can continue to another section of the site using your screen reader’s “Links List” dialog box. After viewing the title, please visit your MyDCMP page to provide feedback using the “Response” link.