In this Issue: Distance Education

Introduction
Two Innovative Programs
NCPSE Resources: Distance Learning Programs in Special Education
Additional Resources on Distance Education

Introduction

Technology now makes it possible to take courses for teacher preparation at home or at a site that meets a group's need for access to a preparation program. Rural and other geographical areas that are distant from one another, the Hawaiian Islands and Islands of Micronesia for example, can now provide instruction and professional development through distance education, greatly enhancing their capacity to meet the highly qualified requirements of No Child Left Behind. As our field continues to develop innovative ways to recruit and prepare highly qualified teachers for students with disabilities, distance education has become more sophisticated in its format, interactive capacities, content, and availability. In this issue of Connections we share two distance education examples, links to distance education programs in special education and OSEP programs that support certain programs, and resources for developing and evaluating programs.

Two Innovative Programs

Two programs that partner with local school districts to prepare high quality special educators through distance education are Utah State University (USU) and Stephen F. Austin State University (SFASU) in Texas.

At USU, program courses are delivered via a live, interactive, Internet-based, audio/video teleconferencing system to seven remote rural and urban locations throughout Utah. Courses are supported by a program website and individual course websites containing course syllabi, supplemental course readings, study guides, handouts, and assignments.

At SFASU, the OSEP-funded Project Vision uses distance education networks to expand the university's current visual impairments program and ensure increased accessibility to high quality training for future vision and mobility specialists in five states -Idaho, Montana, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming -- through Internet 2. The program also uses web based instruction, streaming video, interactive video, chat, telephone, and Instant Messenger to enhance communication among students and faculty. Up to 20 Education Service Centers in Texas help to disseminate the information through the statewide video network.

Visit both of these programs online:
Project Vision at SFASU
USU's Special Education Mild/Moderate Degree & Certification Distance Education Program

NCPSE Resources: Distance Learning Programs in Special Education

Many colleges and universities offer special education coursework or preparatory programs online. The Clearinghouse's list of schools that offer coursework in special education online continues to grow. Should your school offer distance education/online coursework in special education and you would like your school included in the listing, please contact Jennifer Miller, NCPSE Information Manager.

The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) Personnel Preparation Grants Program provides financial assistance to students interested in pursuing a degree in special education. Grants may include distance education. To find out if there are any distance education grants in your area, please go to the NCPSE online OSEP grants database and enter the word "distance" in the keyword search.

Reminder to IHE program directors: please submit your 2003 IHE UPDATE Surveys to the Clearinghouse if you haven't already. This will allow your school's special education preparation program to be included in our online database. This database contains listings of over 900 university programs in special education and receives over 5,000 unique visits per month from an audience that includes potential special education teachers and related services professionals -- current students, paraeducators, mid-career changers, and college graduates seeking career information. If you would like to receive a survey to include your school's programs in our database, contact Jennifer Miller, NCPSE Information Manager.

Additional Resources on Distance Education

The Distance Education Clearinghouse at the University of Wisconsin is a comprehensive resource featuring definitions and background information, current news in distance education, guides to programs and courses, information for teaching faculty, research, and discussions on technology.

The Distance Learning Resource Network is the dissemination project for the U.S. Department of Education's Star Schools Program, a public and private partnership for delivering distance education.

A Profile of Participation in Distance Education: 1999–2000
Study from the National Center for Education Statistics, Education Statistics Quarterly.

The National Clearinghouse for Professions in Special Education is the descriptive title for the National Clearinghouse on Careers and Professions Related to Early Intervention and Education for Children with Disabilities Cooperative Agreement H326P980002 between the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Exceptional Children. The contents of this publication do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of either the U. S. Department of Education or the Council for Exceptional Children. This information is in the public domain, unless otherwise indicated. Readers are encouraged to copy and share it, but please credit the National Clearinghouse for professions in Special Education. U. S. Department of Education Project Officer Martha B. Bokee