Fischler School of Education & Human Services

2

Assignment T-2

Fischler School of Education & Human Services

Programs in Instructional Technology & Distance Education (ITDE)

1750 NE 167th Street

North Miami Beach, Florida 33162-3017

Programs in Instructional Technology and Distance Education

Assignment Evaluation Form

Study Area (Courses): ITDE 8010

Due Date: September 27, 2004

Student Name: James Mowery, Louise Wilcox,

Cynthia Eschenburg, Robert Raichle,

and Deanna Romano

Cluster: ITDE 23

Faculty Name: Dr. Gary Anglin

Today’s Date: September 19, 2004

Assignment Number/Title: Assignment I-2/Policy Manual

Faculty Decision: Next Response Due:

q Additions Required

q Rewrite Required

q Approved/Grade: ______

q Below Standard

q Midterm Examination

q Final Examination

Comments:

Context

Assignment I-2: Policy Manual

Prepare a Distance Education Policy Manual for the organization where you work, or for a hypothetical organization that has a distance education program. The Manual should include sections dealing with the following policy areas:

·  Academic

·  Fiscal, Geographic and Governance

·  Faculty

·  Legal

·  Student

·  Technical

·  Philosophical

This Manual should be no longer than 20 pages. If possible but not required, the policy Manual could be accompanied by a media supplement. Videos, PowerPoint presentations with audio, or interactive web sites are examples of media supplements to a written policy Manual

Policy Manual:

Ashland University

Alternative Instructional Delivery
and Web Accessibility Policy

September 19, 2004

ITDE 8010

James Mowery, Louise Wilcox, Cynthia Eschenburg,

Robert Raichle, and Deanna Romano

Cluster, 23 Nova Southeastern University

Policy Manual, 18

Alternative Instructional Delivery & Web Accessibility Policy

Purpose: To establish a university policy for Alternative Instructional Delivery that provides an accessibility model for the development and implementation of Ashland University’s Websites that minimizes technical barriers to accessibility for all individuals to include those with disabilities[1].

The creation and dissemination of knowledge is an essential attribute of universities and is fundamental to Ashland University's mission. As postsecondary institutions are offering more online courses (a.k.a. as alternative instructional delivery), instructors face challenges designing and delivering coursework online. The challenges associated with the delivery of online courses embrace access by all students to include those with disabilities. Within the United States about one of every five persons reports having a disability. Within postsecondary settings, one out of every 20 first-year students reports having a disability (U.S. Department of Education, 1999). Acknowledging this, Ashland University is committed to providing access to educational opportunities while ensuring equal access to information for all its constituencies.

The Ashland University Alternative Instructional Delivery and Web Accessibility Policy establishes minimum standards and guidelines for alternative instructional delivery and the accessibility of Web-based information and services considered necessary to meet this goal and ensure compliance with applicable state and federal regulations.

Academic

Consistent with its stated mission, “to serve the educational needs of all students – undergraduate and graduate, traditional and non-traditional, full and part time,” Ashland University will provide opportunities for students whose circumstances make it difficult or impossible to achieve their educational objectives by enrolling in traditionally scheduled classes. To provide these persons a greater measure of access and convenience to courses and programs while maintaining a high standard of instructional quality, Ashland University will offer classes in a variety of time and place shifted formats. In particular, it is the intent of this policy to encourage offering classes that will enable students to complete a program or meet an educational objective. By adopting and implementing this policy, Ashland University extends its academic programming to populations of students not now fully served.

This policy is intended to provide opportunities primarily for students who cannot or prefer not to enroll in Ashland University’s traditionally scheduled classes. Courses and programs offered under the provisions of this policy are, therefore, not designed, or intended to compete with or diminish the experience of traditionally enrolled students taking classes on campus.

Alternative instructional delivery refers to offering classes in ways that do not require the physical presence of the learner and instructor in the same space at the same time to carry out the instructional process. Alternative instructional delivery typically employs some technology or combination of technologies.

The two principal modes of alternative instructional delivery are Web-based courses and interactive video. In addition to these primary formats, alternative instructional delivery may include the use of instructional material in a variety of forms and media to enable students to take classes in a time or place shifted mode. Web-based courses are courses in which most instruction in the class (greater than 70%) is carried out using Web-based materials and interaction (different time, different place). Interactive video courses are courses in which a live instructor at a point of origination carries out instruction with student located at one or more distant sites by means of interactive audio and video technology (same time, different place).

Fiscal, Geographic, Governance

In developing and implementing a program of alternative instructional delivery, the policy and program shall focus on and encourage alternative instructional delivery for programs designed to meet a degree, licensure, certificate, or other educational goal. Courses developed under this policy shall meet the same expectations for rigor and quality of instruction as their regularly scheduled counterparts on campus. Courses offered under this policy shall regularly be assessed both by students and by the department and faculty offering them to determine effectiveness. Courses offered under this policy shall be fiscally self-supporting.

Faculty and departments offering courses under this policy shall be encouraged, supported, and rewarded for their support. Departmental faculty and academic departments shall be the primary decision makers in determining whether to offer any course(s) in one of these formats. Students enrolled in courses offered by alternative instructional delivery shall have access to the same essential university services as their residential counterparts. Courses selected to be developed for Web-based distance or other time and place shifted modes of instructional delivery must already be included in the regular undergraduate or graduate catalog at Ashland University. Except as required by external accredited agencies or other review bodies, Ashland University shall make no distinction between sections or instances of courses taken in an alternative instructional delivery format and those taken in a traditional format.

The normal section size for Web-based distance instructional delivery sections is twenty students, with a minimum of eight students per section and a maximum of twenty-five. With the permission of the department chair and instructor, the enrollment in a section may be increased to a maximum of thirty students. When fewer than eight students wish to enroll for Web-based instruction in a class, they will register for individual Web-based instruction.

Web-based distance courses, including individual Web-based instruction, may be taken as part of the comprehensive tuition rate. All Web-based distance undergraduate course offerings are billed at the evening/weekend tuition and fee schedule.

Faculty

Faculty intending to teach Web-based distance courses will complete twelve hours of training or demonstrate equivalent competency at Information Technology’s Instructional Support Lab before or during the development of their first Web-based course.

Faculty will receive three hours of teaching credit (in load or a supplemental contact paid at the regular undergraduate payment schedule, receiving half of the supplemental at the beginning and the remainder once the course has been completed), and a $500 course development grant for initial development of Web-based delivery of the course. Faculty may apply for a New Dimensions Grant to support course maintenance and revision. Faculty teaching students via Web-based instruction are paid at the rate indicated in the most recent supplemental contract schedule under the column for alternative instructional delivery.

All course materials shall be considered works for hire in which Ashland University will grant faculty members an exclusive license to the material. The exclusive license will require the faculty member’s approval for all subsequent use of the course except for promotional and public relations purposes by the university. All other use of course materials must be authorized by the faculty member. It is a breach of this policy for a faculty member to offer instruction for pay outside the university using Web-based material developed under the provisions of this policy without the approval of their academic dean.

The shelf life of course materials is considered to be two years. Each course offered for Web-based distance instructional delivery shall be reviewed following procedures established within each department for accuracy and quality of content every two years. Course materials will be withdrawn if:

·  They are determined to be inaccurate, incomplete, or out of date; the faculty member requests their removal.

·  The faculty member is no longer employed by Ashland University.

·  The same course is redeveloped.

Options available to faculty who leave the university at the conclusion of an academic term:

·  Withdraw the course materials.

·  Seek adjunct status to continue to offer the course.

·  Permit continued use of the course materials by Ashland University.

When a faculty member leaves the university during the term a course is offered, the university is entitled to use the course materials to the conclusion of that term.

Legal

There are two federal laws that govern accessibility of education: Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Sections 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. Higher education institutions are regulated under Title II and Sections 504 & 508 and the requirements of both laws specify that institutions must be responsive to the needs of individual students and make programs and services accessible to them on request.

The Rehabilitation Act was the first anti-discrimination law for persons with disabilities. The law prohibited discrimination in any program or activity that received federal funds that exceeded $2,500. It also required affirmative-action plans for hiring and promoting qualified persons with disabilities. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in any program and activity that is offered by an entity or institution that receives financial assistance from the federal government. Within this Section, Subpart E specifically deals with the regulations required of postsecondary institutions. In short, this subpart requires that institutions make appropriate adjustments and provide reasonable accommodations that allow students with disabilities full participation in activities and programs available to students without disabilities.

Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act requires accessible electronic information and requires that certain guidelines or priorities are met to insure that those with visual, auditory, physical, mental, or learning disabilities are able to access electronic information. Ashland University requires faculty and Web developers to meet or exceed standards and guidelines outlined in this document, which are based on Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act and supplemented by The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines developed by World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) as a benchmark for access to Web based content.

Student

Alternative instructional delivery is intended to provide students with a greater measure of access and convenience to courses and programs by offering classes that will enable students to complete a program or meet an educational objective. By adopting and implementing alternative instructional delivery and setting guidelines for accessible Web-based content, Ashland University will extend its academic programming to populations of students not now fully served.

This policy is designed to guarantee students that courses developed in alternative instructional delivery shall meet the same expectations for rigor and quality of instruction as their regularly scheduled counterparts. Students enrolled in Web-based courses shall have access to the same essential university services as their residential counterparts. Normal section size is applied to alternative instructional delivery and will provide individual Web-based instruction if the section size falls below required enrollment. Web-based courses are billed at the same comprehensive tuition rate as traditional counterparts.

Technical

The department of Information Technology performs a wide array of services meant to assist faculty, staff, and students with their technical needs. In order to meet guidelines and policy expectations the Information Technology Department will:

·  Assist faculty in the development of instructional presentations, courses or program sequences.

·  Assist faculty and staff in the selection, development and use of new and emerging educational technology.

·  Assist faculty with designing and redesigning course materials for teaching using new and emerging distance education technologies.

·  Assist faculty in integrating instructional technology into the classroom.

·  Design and distribute templates to support on-line environments for faculty and students.

·  Research and develop new technologies as designated by the Executive Director.

·  Provide Web page design and implement online course materials, courses, and templates.

Philosophical

Ashland University is a distinctive learning community that places an “Accent on the Individual” in an intellectually challenging and supportive environment, face-to-face or at a distance. Our mission is to serve the educational needs of all students. Providing alternative instructional delivery is one avenue to serve constituencies who may not be able to meet their educational goals. Guaranteeing accessibility to Web-based content is consistent with our mission, “to serve the educational needs of all students in a supportive environment.”

Website Development and Accessibility Guidelines

Ashland University requires faculty and web developers to meet or exceed standards and guidelines outlined in this document, which are based on Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act and supplemented by The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines developed by World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) as a benchmark for access to Web based content.

·  Conduct usability studies to determine the needs of your audiences as early as possible in the Website development process. This involves determining target audiences, developing real user scenarios, and observing how test groups navigate through your site. Note what pathways they take and any problems incurred. Examples of users/audiences are prospective students and faculty, current students and faculty, staff, alumni, and community members.

·  Use a consistent method of navigation on every page. Keep the following questions in mind when developing navigation for each page: Where am I? Where have I been? Where can I go? Good navigation is critical and can increase the user's ability to find information on your Website. Navigation should be based on how users navigate through your site. Usability studies can provide information on each audience to determine what information they are searching for and how they search for it. See the above section on usability studies.