ACCESS

ACCESS Distance Learning

ACCESS Distance Learning is part of the Alabama Connecting Classroom program. The vision is for the State of Alabama to provide equal access high quality instruction to improve student achievement. These resources are provided to all Alabama public high school students. The ACCESS program was launched November 1, 2004. Alabama has garnered some national press attention with it's leadership in distance learning.

I have long been aware of the inequites in the Alabama school system. I have nieces that were raised in the Birmingham area who have had all types of school perks that were not offered to my children in Baldwin County. I was amazed at the courses that have been offered to them in high school vs. what is offered in the Mobile/Baldwin county system. I know that some of the cities in the Birmingham area do a lot of their own funding to their local schools. I think the ACCESS program is a way to try to bring equality to the Alabama system.

For many schools it is difficult to find qualified teachers for areas such as a foreign language, or upper end math and science courses. Many rural areas can't even offer these courses at all. School systems sometimes have difficulty justifying the expense of paying a teacher in areas where only a handful of students will benefit from the course. ACCESS allows students all over the state to have access to qualified teachers in many subject areas. Advanced Placement courses for college credit are also offered through ACCESS. Alabama is one of a handful of states that offer such courses.

ACCESS offers CAST (connecting ACCESS staff and teachers). CAST offers many web tools for professional development such as NetTrekker and Curriculum Pathways to further our knowledge in our subject areas. There are also chat forums and discussion boards for teachers and facilitators.

ACCESS recommends distance learning for students who are self motivated and self disciplined. They must have access to a computer and be recommended to the program by their school counselor or advisor. ACCESS is open to students in 9th-12th grade.