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This is the online homebase for the Department of Transportation (DOT)/Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) "It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air" Exchange Community of Practice. This site is dedicated to the open exchange of information and knowledge in reference to a variety of issues within DOT/EPA. This site is accessible to DOT/EPA staff and members of the general public. Anyone interested in these related topics can interact and contribute their thoughts and ideas in an open forum. Content found in this community may not necessarily reflect the opinion or policy of the DOT or its modes (e.g., Federal Highway Administration, Federal Transit Administration), or EPA.

Using this Exchange, you can easily access information as well as ask questions and collaborate with others. Many documents are posted in Adobe PDF file format. You must have free Adobe Acrobat Reader software installed on your computer to view these files (see www.adobe.com for more information). Each site function is described briefly below:

Group Areas. This site is organized into group areas, each representing a different informational topic. Each group area has a Facilitator to ensure that the discussion remains lively and on-target. Unlike static websites, the Site Administrator can add new group areas quickly to ensure that the site is responsive to changing user needs. Please contact Kathy Daniel at kathy.daniel@fhwa.dot.gov, if you have an idea for a new group area.

Collaboration: References, Works in Progress (WIP), Discussions, and Member Directories. In each group area, the Reference section provides easy access to information in the form of a URL link or an attached file. Topic Facilitators and the Site Administrators can add references to the site to ease information transfer. You can choose to view this information with your browser or download information to your computer for later use. The Works in Progress section is where you can view, comment upon and/or suggest revisions to draft documents. At the Discussion section, you can submit general comments, ask for help, or start a new discussion of an issue not addressed. At the Member Directory, you will find contact information for all identified users with an interest in this group area.

Information Subscriptions: Bringing the Information to You. Fill out an interest profile that tells the Exchange what group areas are of interest to you. The site will automatically notify you once daily via e-mail when new items fitting your interest profile are added. The e-mail contains not only the title of the item but also an abstract of the item and a URL that links directly to the item at the site.

Accessing the Exchange. This Exchange can be accessed via the Knowledge Communities Homepage: http://knowledge.fhwa.dot.gov/. You navigate through the site by clicking on buttons and links to reach different sections. From the home page, you can choose to enter a group area sub page, execute a search, go to other sections of the site such as the My Interests form, or click on hyperlinks to related web sites. You can provide feedback about the value of the site by clicking on the Feedback link or send an e-mail message to the site administrator if you have any technical comments or questions.

Accessing a Group Area. Click on one of the group areas listed on the site home page. This brings you to an area sub page. A general description of the items in the group area appears at the top of the page, as well as tabs that give you access to the four different sections: Discussion, Reference, Works In Progress, and Directory.

Viewing, Downloading, and Adding Works in Progress. Works in Progress are documents in draft form placed on the site by Topic Facilitators and Site Administrators to solicit your comments and suggested additions or revisions. To start, click on the Works in Progress tab. To open an individual WIP item, click on its blue underlined title. The WIP item (a cover sheet for any attached documents) will appear in the browser. To view an attachment, such as a Word document or Adobe Acrobat file, left-click on the attachment icon or the download link. This function will only work if your browser is configured to do so. See your office's information technology contact for further browser assistance. To download an attachment onto your computer, right click on the "attachment" icon or download link. Internet Explorer users then select "Save Target As" and select a destination for the file, and Netscape users select "Save Link As" and select a destination for the file. To respond to a draft paper, click on the "Respond" button in the cover sheet. Fill in the response form, attach a document if desired and hit "Submit." To add a draft document to the site, please contact your site administrator or topic facilitator.

Reading and Participating in Discussions. Click on the Discussion tab found below the general description. The discussions are arranged in threads. The response to each discussion item is indented and grouped below the original question or comment, so that you can follow individual discussions as they progress. If you want to view a discussion item or a response, click on its underlined title to open it. You can read the comment, question or response, and view any responses to a discussion item by clicking through the thread found at the bottom. To add your response, click on the "Respond" button beneath the body of the discussion item, accept the default subject or type a new subject, and write your response. To create a new discussion item, click on the "Create Discussion Topic" graphic beneath the tabs, type in a subject heading and then type in your comment or question.

Viewing, Downloading, and Adding References. Go to the area sub page and click on the Reference tab. To open an individual reference, click on its blue underlined title. The reference item (a cover sheet for any attached reference documents) will appear in the browser. To view an attachment, such as a Word document or Adobe Acrobat file, left-click on the attachment icon or the Download link. This function will only work if your browser is configured to do so. See your office's information technology contact for further browser assistance. To download an attachment onto your computer, right click on the attachment icon or download link. Internet Explorer users then select "Save Target As" and select a destination for the file, and Netscape users select "Save Link As" and select a destination for the file. Topic Facilitators and Site Adminstrators can add references to the group by clicking on the "Add Reference" graphic in the Reference tab. Fill in the appropriate fields, including the URL field if the reference is a Web Site and an attachment if the reference is a document. Click on the "Submit" button to add the Reference to the Site.

Viewing Directories. Each group area has a member directory with the names of all who have voluntarily submitted their contact information and agreed to display it on the site. When you create your My Interests form, you will specify which group areas you wish to be listed in and whether or not your information should be listed online. Go to the area sub pages and click on the Directory tab. If you have chosen to include it in the site directory, your name is listed along with your organization name, phone number, fax, and/or e-mail address.

Creating and Editing the My Interests Form. As discussed above, you can sign up for group areas, choose what information (if any) about you will appear in the member directories, and set your preferences for e-mail notification at the My Interest form.

To create a new My Interests form, go to the bottom of the site home page and click on the My Interests link. Then click on the "I want to fill out a new My Interests form" graphic to open a new form. If you would like to be listed as a user in one or more group areas, provide your information and specify whether or not you want it to be listed in the directory. Then select which of the group area(s) of which you would like to be a member by checking one or more of the boxes.

The next part of the form lets you set your e-mail notification preferences. To be notified when anything new is added to one or more areas, check the box next to the group area title. To be notified when one or more specific keywords are added to the site in Works-In-Progress, Discussion, or Reference documents, enter your keywords in the box at the bottom of the form. Insert a comma (,) semicolon (;) or hit enter if you want to enter more than keyword in for the text search. Then click the Submit button to complete your form.

To edit your existing information, go to the My Interests form and click on the "I want to edit my existing My Interests form" graphic. Make any desired changes and click the Submit button to complete your form.

By using this site, you agree to the following:

1. You understand that this site may experience failures or other service outages without notice.

2. You will not hold the Federal Highway Administration or the creators, operators, or related entities to the site responsible or liable ("indemnify and hold harmless") for the inability to connect to or use the site, or for any loss or corrupted data, or for any defamatory or offensive material(s) which you may encounter on or originating from this site, or for the conduct, opinions, or publications of any user, or for any other problem whatsoever related to the use or existence of the site.

3. You understand that the Federal Highway Administration has no obligation to acknowledge, mediate, or otherwise settle any disputes or differences in opinion that may arise between users.

Additional terms and conditions are listed below.

This site includes a discussion area that allows feedback and interaction between users. The Federal Highway Administration encourages the free expression of your ideas and opinions as long as they are responsible, free of insult, respectful of others, and conform to agency purpose. However, we do not control or censor messages, information, or files delivered to discussion groups. It is a condition of your use of the discussion area that you do not:

1. Falsely present yourself as a representative, employee, or official of the Federal Highway Administration, the U.S. Department of Transportation, or the United States Government by accidental or deliberate means including misleading or confusing statements in your postings.

2. Stray from the discussion topic or make personal attacks on other users and/or participants (personal attacks are defined as comments that reflect upon the person instead of their opinion).

3. Post or transmit any slanderous, defamatory, obscene, indecent, pornographic, profane, violent, abusive, insulting, threatening, offensive or harassing comments and/or information of any kind. We will not tolerate such postings, including without limitation any transmissions constituting or encouraging conduct that would constitute a criminal offense.

4. Post or re-post a message excessively, especially unsolicited advertisements, even if they are directly or indirectly related to the purpose of the site. Advertising of any kind, including non-profit organizations, is not permitted.

5. Add or post any copyrighted material to this site.

The Federal Highway Administration and the creators, owners, operators, or related entities to the site have no obligation to monitor the discussion groups. However, they reserve the right at all times to disclose any information as necessary to satisfy any law and regulation and to edit, refuse to post, or to remove any information or links, in whole or in part, that are in violation of these terms and conditions or of applicable law.

For more information and assistance using the "It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air" Exchange, please contact Kathy Daniel at Kathy.Daniel@fhwa.dot.gov.

 

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This page last updated on 11/23/2009 02:00:48 PM

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