Explanation

Handout or resource is in the Adobe Portable Document Format (.pdf). You will need Adobe's Acrobat Reader software to view and print the .pdf files. Acrobat Reader can be downloaded for free from the Adobe web site by clicking on the "Get Acrobat Reader" icon.

Handout or resource is in the form of a rich text format (.rtf) file created from Microsoft Word. This file can be opened and edited in Microsoft Word and most other major word processing programs.

Handout or resource is in the form of a Microsoft Word (.doc) file created from Microsoft Word. This file can be opened and edited in Microsoft Word. Other word processing programs may also be able to import this format. The file size is often smaller in this format than the rich text format when graphics are part of the file.

Handout or resource is in the form of a Microsoft PowerPoint (.ppt or .pptx) file created from Microsoft PowerPoint. This file can be opened and edited in Microsoft PowerPoint. It can also be viewed and printed, but not edited, using the freely downloadable Microsoft program PowerPoint Viewer

Handout or resource is in the form of a OpenOffice Impress presentation file (.odp) created from OpenOffice. OpenOffice is a free and open productivity suite that can be downloaded from the OpenOffice.Org website.

Handout or resource is in the form of a Microsoft Reader ebook (.lit). You will need to download Microsoft's Reader software to view the file on a Windows desktop computer. The files can also be viewed on a Pocket PC (Reader comes in the standard software). Microsoft Reader for Desktop PC's can be downloaded for free from the Microsoft web site by clicking on the "Download Microsoft Reader" icon

Handout or resource is in the form of a .zip file or self-extracting .exe file. 

A .zip file is a compressed version of the actual file. To use the file, you must use a program on your computer (such as such as WinZip, PKZIP, Stuffit) to extract the file after downloading.

A self-extracting .exe file (useful only for a Windows Computer) is a compressed version of the file with a "built-in" extractor. Double-clicking on the .exe file in Windows will extract the file to a default folder.

Handout or resource is in the form of a Palm Pilot DOC ebook format (.prc or .pdb). You will need reader software to read the DOC file on a Desktop PC, Palm Pilot or Pocket PC. Many programs (freeware, shareware, and commercial) are available. We provide here a link to Palm Digital Media free reader.