ACCESS

The Alabama Connecting Classroom, Educators and Students Statewide, also known as, ACCESS, is a distance learning program for high school students. This purpose of ACCESS is to provide these high school students with the knowledge and technology that they will need for their future. The ACCESS program “provides classroom courses and Alabama certified teachers via technology.” This program is also supposed to prepare these students with the skills that will prepare them for college.
The ACCESS program is web based and it also has real two way video and audio. This may help students feel more comfortable as far as questions go. I have taken online classes that have not had meeting times and have felt confused about something. Sure, I emailed the teacher but it would have helped if I had the tool of video, so I could ask the professor questions over video. People who don’t agree with the program may argue that students may not do as well if they don’t have the face to face conversation. This tool is the answer to that question. This first started in October 2005 as a test to see how it went.
With the program there are two different things that are required for the program, for the online (web –based courses) “schools must provide students with onsite access to computers with reliable internet sources”, and for IVC courses (Interactive Videoconferencing) “schools must provide a reliable Internet-connected computer access to an IVC equipped H.323 standard school lab.” The ACCESS distance learning program is used during the school day, and during the normal school hours of operation. This is a good thing because these students would not be distracted and wouldn’t have to change their normal school schedule.
There are many credited people/organizations that support distance learning, the governor, Alabama legislature, State Board of Education- State Superintendent of Education, Appalachian Regional Commission, Bell South Foundation, Access Task-Force/Executive Board K-16 Representatives, and Southern Regional Education Board. This program is changing the environment and the way children learn. Technology is our future. Our students and children will have a great education and be a part of the history of education.
• All information in this post was retrieved from: ACCESS WEBSITE