Plug-ins and Viewers

These plug-ins and viewers allow users to view various types of files on ed.gov. These links are provided for the user's convenience. The U.S. Department of Education does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness,or completeness of these outside links. Further, the inclusion of these links is not intended to reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse any views expressed, or products or services offered, on these outside sites, or the organizations sponsoring the sites.

RealPlayer

RealPlayer allows users to view video and hear audio files on the Internet. Users can choose between the free player or an enhanced paid version.

Get RealPlayer

Microsoft Windows Media Player

Windows Media Player allows users to view video and hear audio files on the Internet.

Get Windows Media Player

Macromedia Flash Player

Macromedia Flash Player allows users to view Flash content and media on the Internet.

Get Macromedia Flash Player

Macromedia Adobe Authorware

Macromedia Adobe Authorware is used for EDExpress Basics—web-based training for using the 2009-2010 EDExpress and EDconnect software, which is designed for financial aid office staff with day-to-day responsibilities that involve using the EDExpress software.

Get Macromedia Adobe Authorware

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word is a word processing application. Viewers for Word documents are available from Microsoft. Viewers allow users who don't have Microsoft Word to view Word files.

Get Word Viewer

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Excel is a spreadsheet application. Viewers for Excel are available from Microsoft. Viewers allow users who don't have Microsoft Excel to view Excel files.

Get Excel Viewer

Microsoft PowerPoint

Microsoft PowerPoint is a presentation program. Viewers for PowerPoint are available from Microsoft. Viewers allow users who don't have Microsoft PowerPoint to view PowerPoint files.

Get PowerPoint Viewer

PDF (Portable Document Format)

Adobe Acrobat PDF files are used to retain the formatting of original documents. To view these files, the user will need to download the free Adobe reader.

Get Adobe Acrobat Reader

Note: To find out about Adobe and accessibility, visit http://www.adobe.com/accessibility/.

WordPerfect

WordPerfect is a word processing application from Corel. Most other office suites (e.g., StarOffice, Lotus, Word) can read WordPerfect files.

Get WordPerfect Plug-in (Note: This link does not take you to a web page. This link will download the executable file to install the WordPerfect plug-in.)

ZIP/Self-Extracting ZIP

ZIP files are used to simplify the download process by wrapping a number of separate files into a single "wrapper" and compressing the original files by a significant amount. ZIP and UNZIP software is available from a variety of vendors.

Stuffit Expander from Smith Micro Software, Inc. is a freeware package. Winzip has a free evaluation copy that is good for 21 days. After that, you will be required to pay for the full version.