The New Distance Education Guidelines

2008 ASCCC Curriculum Institute July 11, 2008

The New Distance Education Guidelines

Michael Heumann – Imperial Valley

Pat James– Mt. San Jacinto

Laurie Vasquez – Santa Barbara


Overview• Distance Education (DE): What is

it? How is it different?

• Changes to Title 5.

• When and why does a DE course require separate review?

• Ensuring accessibility

• And more..


Institutional & Pedagogical Concerns• Compliance with Ed Code,

Title 5, and the DE Guidelines

• Articulation agreements

• (and most important…) student learning


Institutional & Pedagogical Concerns• Standards within the institution

• Faculty training

• Ulterior concerns: – Competition in the market place– FTE generation

• Others?


Old DE Guidelines and T5• The DE guidelines emphasized

that for reporting purposes a course was DE if it was greater than 50% online.

• It was unclear what threshold of DE required separate curricular approval.


New T5 Guidelines for DE• Clarifies what constitutes DE

• Clarifies conditions for separate review

• Clarifies requirements for Section 508 compliance for DE courses


§ 55200: Definition & ApplicationDE means instruction in which the instructor and

student are separated by distance and interact through the assistance of communication technology. All DE is subject to the general requirements of this chapter as well as the specific requirements of this article. In addition, instruction provided as DE is subject to the requirements that may be imposed by the Americans with Disabilities Act (42 U.S.C. § 12100 et seq.) and section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. § 794d).


§ 55202: Course Quality Standards • The same standards of course quality shall be

applied to any portion of a course conducted through DE as are applied to traditional classroom courses, in regard to the course quality judgment made pursuant to the requirements of section 55002, and in regard to any local course quality determination or review process. Determinations and judgments about the quality of DE under the course quality standards shall be made with the full involvement of faculty…


§ 55204: Instructor Contact

In addition to the requirements of section 55002 and any locally established requirements applicable to all courses, district governing boards shall ensure that:

(a) Any portion of a course conducted through DE includes regular effective contact between instructor and students.


§ 55206: Separate Course Approval

If any portion of the instruction in a proposed or existing course or course section is designed to be provided through DE in lieu of face-to-face interaction between instructor and student, the course shall be separately reviewed and approved according to the district's adopted course approval procedures.


Separate Approval• How this is done and what is involved is a local

decision – but there are some common goals.• Ensure that course is being taught to the

existing course outline of record.• Why is this important? Articulation is based on

the course outline of record – if and when courses are not taught to the COR, all articulations are placed in jeopardy.


Separate Approval• Must provide “regular and effective contact

between instructor and student,” as defined locally.

• Methods of Instruction and Methods of evaluation may change, but neither content nor objectives – we still teach to the existing COR.


Separate Approval• Courses should not be identified as online

anywhere but in the curriculum addendum and the schedule of classes.

• Class size as it relates to student learning may be recommended by the Curriculum Committee.

• Accessibility must be addressed.


55217. Number of Students The number of students assigned to any one course section offered by distance education shall be determined by and be consistent with other district procedures related to faculty assignment. Procedures for determining the number of students assigned to a course section offered by distance education may include a review by the curriculum committee established pursuant to section 55002(a)(1). Nothing in this section shall be construed to impinge upon or detract from any negotiations or negotiated agreements between exclusive representatives and district governing boards.

Class Size & DE


Separate Approval

• What is your process?

• Is it effective?

• What’s working well?

• What’s missing?


Is separate approval needed?

A course is scheduled to be 100% face-to-face. The instructor announces in the course that students will also have to work to do at a distance (either asynchronously or synchronously) with an online component. The course still meets face-to-face at its regularly scheduled time.


Is separate approval needed?• A course is scheduled to be 100% face-to-

face. The instructor has to miss a class or two and has no substitute so, assignments are placed online. Otherwise, the course still meets face-to-face at its regularly scheduled time.


DE Guidelines• Districts may need to define “effective contact,“

including how often, and in what manner instructor-student interaction is achieved.

• It is important that we document how regular effective contact is achieved.

Since regular effective contact was declared an academic and professional matter, this documentation must include demonstration of collegial consultation with the academic senate, for example through its delegation to the local curriculum committee.


DE Guidelines• A natural place for this to occur is during the

separate course approval process.• Documentation should consist of the inclusion of

information in applicable outlines of record on the type and frequency of interaction appropriate to each DE course/section or session. Districts need to describe the type and quantity of student-faculty interaction in their annual reports to their local governing boards and the State Chancellor’s Office.


DE GuidelinesIn making use of the existing local curriculum

approval process, there must be documentation of “regular effective contact” as described in 55204. For this reason, a course/section or session should be separately reviewed the first time it is offered in a technology mediated mode, and subsequently reviewed again when the technology changes sufficiently to alter the answers to how regular effective contact is achieved.


Local Decisions• Create a curriculum addendum form that reflects

local needs and addresses relevant compliance concerns.

• Define how “effective contact” will take place• Establish a clear process for the introduction of

new DE courses. • Develop a means to ensure not only compliance

and quality today, but ongoing compliance and quality.

• Others?


Nuts & Bolts

• What should you look for when approving online course addenda?

• Can the course objectives be achieved via DE?

• Do the methods of instruction seem plausible when applied via DE?


• Are a variety of DE content delivery methods used that link back to the course objectives?

• Do the methods of evaluation make sense?

• Are there integrity concerns that need to be addressed?

Nuts & Bolts


• Has the course author been properly trained? Have faculty who will teach the course been properly trained?

• Do sample assignments, if provided, show appropriate use of the Internet and available CMS tools?

Nuts & Bolts


• Has consideration been given to compliance with accessibility guidelines?

• Is class size appropriately addressed?

• What policies are in place with respect to “canned” (“e-pack”) courses?

Nuts & Bolts


Curriculum Committee Opportunities!• Set up local requirements for your program that are based

on your own shared governance structure and the philosophy of your online program.

• Make sure the instructional methodology has been well thought out and supports the appropriate delivery of course content.

• Formally inform faculty and administration of compliance issues and considerations regarding online teaching and learning in general.


Institutional Commitments

• Proactively assisting faculty to develop high quality courses.

• Create a process that will ensure both compliance and quality.

• Train faculty as much as possible.• DE can be as good as or better than face-to-face.


CC Training Ideas• Preview live online courses• Conduct committee business online• Create a simple set of resources that include:

– Definitions of fully online, hybrid, web mediated.– A list of functions performed by your course management

system for easy reference

• Create a formal orientation regarding the DE Guidelines


Life After Initial Approval

• How do you ensure the ongoing quality of the course?

• Consider how to keep information current on…– Who authors a course?– Who brings the addendum?– Who teaches the course?


DE Course Evaluation

• What policies or procedures do you have for evaluating the efficacy of your DE courses and program?

• Examples?


Electronic Barriers to Access• Redesigning college and department websites • Marketing your online college - audience• Web-enhanced instructional materials • Web-based applications to support student learning (Alex, LMS, Publisher

courses)• Administrative needs

– Streamlined enrollment processes – Online college application– data collection – Student Information Systems– Student portals– Library services e.g., catalog systems


Attitudinal Barriers• How can a blind student possibly take a (add your

class here) class online?• Why do we have to do this?• If I don't have any disabled students in my class, do

I still have to make the materials accessible?• How much extra work is this going to take me?• Who does this?


Committee Website


Accessibility and Distance Education

• DE offers students “Learning anytime, anywhere.” • All DE resources must be designed to afford

students with disabilities maximum opportunity to access distance education resources “anytime, anywhere” without the need for outside assistance (i.e. sign language interpreters, aides, etc.).


Accessibility and Distance Education

Distance education courses, resources and materials must be designed and delivered in such a way that the level of communication and course taking experience is the same for students with or without disabilities.


Alt Tags


Keeping Web Accessibility in Mind

http://www.webaim.org/intro//

http://www.webaim.org/intro/

http://www.webaim.org/intro/


Audio, Captioning and Transcript

http://frc.sbcc.edu/vasquez/oconnor.htm


Descriptive Audio

http://www.wgbh.org/stevie/

http://www.wgbh.org/stevie/


Student Success• Think Universal Design, where your course materials are

usable by as many learning styles as possible, including those students with disabilities

• Plan for multiple format deliveries • E-text allows for flexibility in creating alternate formats

– Use of assistive technology– Braille, digital book readers, podcasts

• Utilize existing campus standards – Web guidelines (policy and procedures)– Technology plans– Distance Education plans


Santa Barbara TMI Formhttp://frc.sbcc.edu/academic/CAC/forms/TMICHECKLIST.DOC


How will you meet course content objectives?

• Lecture presentations will be delivered online, with film clips and film screenings.

• Students will be required to rent DVDs of a selection of films on a weekly basis (with closed caption if necessary). All the DVDs for the class will be available at the SBCC Learning Resource Center, and they will also be easily obtainable at local video stores and online rental services (Blockbuster.com, Netflix, etc.).

• Students will be required to read the textbook from the class and supplement that material by reading text, as well as viewing clips and images, from specific websites which will be selected and inserted in the class online site.

• Student will be evaluated through weekly writings that will be emailed to the instructor, and through research and analytical papers.


Describe the “ Methods of Instruction

• Textbook.• Online class website which will include text, images,

video, and audio – with consideration of students with hearing and visual impairments who are able to benefit from the class.

• External websites.• PDF articles from SBCC library databases.• Email discussions.• Films on DVD - [working with Laurie Vasquez and the

National Center for Accessible Media]


Lake Tahoe CC DE addendumhttp://www.ltcc.edu/data/ResourcePDF/Distance%20Learning%20Curriculum%20Form%20New.pdf

1. In what ways will teaching this online course in an online format pose special or unique learning challenges for students with disabilities.

2. If there are likely to be challenges for students with disabilities, please consult with the Director of the Disability Resource Center and complete the attached checklist


LA Valley Collegehttp://www.lavc.edu/vccc/forms/DistanceEdAprvFormsLAVC.doc


San Diego CC Districthttp://instsrv.sdccd.edu/Curriculum/Accessibility/InstDesignCk.doc


Train Incoming FacultyDREAM

Discover, Read, Explore, Apply, Measure


F2F and Online


Sacramento City Collegehttp://www.scc.losrios.edu/~access/


Las Positas Collegehttp://www.laspositascollege.edu/accessibility/


Gavilan Collegehttp://www.gavilan.edu/techcomm/accesslist.html


Work Towards • Building awareness

• Training and development support

• Evaluation of course

• Ongoing review of tools used to manage and create your distance education course


Be Proactive• I am an instructor at Fresno City College. • We are in the process of developing an online teachers

training certificate program. One of the courses will be a 1 unit course tentatively called “Making your online course ADA compliant.” Janice thought that you might have a course that is similar, and therefore, have a course outline that we could look at.

• We would greatly appreciate any information that you could pass our way.


Summary One Size Does Not Fit All

• Do you know the name of your campus access specialist? Instructional designer?– May live in different depts. ( DSPS/IT/LRC/FRC)– Titles may differ (A.T., Alt. Media, combination)– Find out what resources and assistance are available

• Review forms for language changes and funding mechanisms associated with course development

• Budget the cost of access into course proposal process– Online course development stipends– Professional Development stipends– Sabbatical leaves and development of instructional media

• Cost of captioning (in-house/outsource)• Audio (transcription)


Conclusion• If the money is not factored into process –

initiate the conversation

• If you don’t know you need it - - how can you ask for support from, Dept. chairs, and administrators re: institutional support to meet compliance?


Update• Needs Assessment Survey• First report July 15• DSPS Unit – task force to update 1999

DE guidelines for students with disabilites• Challenge – what will it look like

– Changing technologies – Are your dollars spent well– Multiple budgets


In the End• It is all about process

– Forms– Policies– Procedures– Updating stakeholders– Approval with an understanding of delivery methods

and the need to create a flexible environment in which to learn


Resources• System Office - Distance Education Report Fiscal Years 1995-96 through

20005-06– http://www.cccco.edu/SystemOffice/Divisions/AcademicAffairs/DistanceEducation/

RegulationsandGuidelines/tabid/767/Default.aspx

• Mt. San Jacinto Online Educators’ Resources– http://multimedia.msjc.edu/pjames/ol/Resources/ Online Course Evaluations– http://multimedia.msjc.edu/pjames/ol/eval.htm

• U.S. Dept. of Education – March 2006http://www.ysu.edu/accreditation/Resources/Accreditation-Evidence-of-Quality-in-

DE-Programs.pdf

• ACCJC Distance Learning Manual (August 2006)This manual contains information that will assist member institutions as they plan and evaluate distance learning programs.

– Core documents - http://www.accjc.org/ACCJC_Publications.htm


Handouts• Webaim - Web accessibility checklist for 508 compliance

– http://www.webaim.org/standards/508/508checklist.pdf

• Example of Santa Barbara's disability statement included in course syllabus

– Note: Faculty members should check with their own college's DSPS department for the specific language used at their college.

– “SBCC Students with disabilities who are requesting accommodations should use the following SBCC procedure: contact the DSPS office, submit documentation of your disability to the DSPS office, communicate with a DSPS specialist regarding options for services and accommodations, and reach written accommodation not only with the DSPS specialist but also with your instructor. SBCC requests you complete this process at least ten working days before your accommodation is needed, in order to allow DSPS staff and SBCC instructors time to provide your accommodation.”


Handouts• SBCC TMI checklist

– http://frc.sbcc.edu/academic/CAC/forms/TMICHECKLIST.PDF

• Santa Monica –508 Overview for Program Review– http://www.smc.edu/disabledstudent/

WebAccess/508%20Overview%20.doc

The New Distance Education Guidelines

Documents

Transcript of The New Distance Education Guidelines