Carla, it can certainly seem like a daunting task to put the pieces together for
a multi-faceted project like distance learning.  If you have found a company
with experience that you trust to assess your needs, you should be able to avoid
some of the learning curve.  Hopefully, our current discussion can take away
part of your pain as well.  Let us know about any issues that apply to your
teachers, learners, and budget.  There are many fine folks on this list who can
help with the details.
 
Videoconferencing is a more specific topic.  The hardware and software have
become much cheaper and easier to use in the past few years.  Most of the new
devices communicate over a high-speed Internet connection.  It's possible to
connect with a dial-up user, but the video quality that I have seen is so bad
that you won't want to try it.  
 
Some of the most popular videoconferencing devices are made by Polycom
(polycom.com).  I have not used these, but have seen demonstrations by the folks
in California adult education.  ** Marian Thacher, are you out there? **  The
Polycom ViaVideo desktop model is in the $500 to $600 range per unit.
Educational pricing should bring it down a bit more.  The quality of these units
is good enough for most educational purposes.
 
If this is beyond your budget, you might want to try one of the free
conferencing services.  I know that several of the folks on this list have used
Skype (skype.com).  They offer free voice and video calls over an Internet
connection for anyone using their software (a free download).  You provide a
headset (needed for good quality sound), a Webcam, a computer, and high-speed
Internet.

Would anyone like to share a Skype videoconferencing experience?

David C.

________________________________

	From: Carla Watson [mailto:watson.carla at gmail.com] 
	Sent: Wednesday, March 01, 2006 10:33 AM
	To: david at collings.com; The Technology and Literacy Discussion List
	Subject: Re: [Technology] Welcome David and Alex
	
	
	Just wanted to throw my name in the hat. This is fantastic information.
We are just beginning to embark on distance education and are working with a
company to meet our equipment needs. I am curious about how best to ensure that
our equipment will serve our purposes. We are hoping to start video conferencing
as well as distance learning. Any thoughts would be appreciated. 
	 
	Carla Watson
	Northeast Kingdom Learning Services, Inc
	Newport, Vermont 05855
	
	 
	On 2/28/06, David Collings <david at collings.com > wrote: 

		I want to echo Alex's thanks and welcome all list readers to
this discussion.
		Please jump right in with your comments or questions. 
		
		I will address the topic of students entering an online system.
The adult
		learners who enter our Delaware online programs are assessed for
their academic
		level using the TABE, SelectABLE, and ABLE-3 tests.  The results
of these tests 
		determine whether someone is a candidate for one of our three
programs.  These
		include ABE-At-A-Distance (ABEAAD), GED, and
Diploma-At-A-Distance (DAAD -
		receive a high school diploma).  All students new to our online
programs must 
		enroll in a course on computer literacy unless they have
received a high school
		credit for this.  These courses last ten weeks for DAAD students
and five weeks
		for ABEAAD students.  Our GED students enter a self-contained
online system.  We 
		use the one from McGraw-Hill Contemporary.
		
		We do not use any sort of computer skills assessment prior to
enrollment in a
		program.  Do others use this?  If so, does it seem to screen out
most of those
		who are unprepared to work in an online environment? 
		
		David Collings
		
		-----Original Message-----
		From: technology-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:
technology-bounces at nifl.gov ] On Behalf
		Of Alex Quinn
		Sent: Tuesday, February 28, 2006 10:53 AM 
		To: The Technology and Literacy Discussion List
		Subject: Re: [Technology] Welcome David and Alex
		
		Thanks for the introduction Mariann.  Over the course of the
next few days we'd 
		like to generate a discussion about the uses of media and
emerging technologies 
		in adult education.  We thought a good starting point would be
to look at what's
		being used now.
		
		We received the following question in advance: 
		
		"I am interested in learning about the different
programs/curriculums used for 
		distance learning for GED students.  Who are the best students
to use them?
		What kind of instruction is needed with these programs?" 
		
		An excellent resource to answer this question is Project IDEAL
		( http://www.projectideal.org <http://www.projectideal.org/> ).
Project IDEAL has been working with several
		states over the last few years to help them develop effective
distance 
		education programs for adult learners.   One of the many
publications 
		available on their website is the "Handbook of Distance
Education for Adult
		Learners."  There is a good discussion in the handbook about the
skills required 
		for a student to succeed in a distance learning program.  Some
of the 
		characteristics they mention are the ability to work
independently, familiarity
		and level of comfort with the technical tools required, well
organized, and 
		self-motivated.  Most of all, the material should be matched
academically to the 
		student's ability.
		
		There is another good resource on the Project IDEAL website, a
Working Paper,
		"Exploring Distance Education Curricula for Adult Learners."
This paper gives a 
		nice overview of the more commonly used distance education
curriculums. 
		
		What have other's experiences been working with GED distance
education.
		What has worked for you?
		
		Alex Quinn
		
		
		On 2/28/06 9:53 AM, "Mariann Fedele" < mariannf at lacnyc.org>
wrote:
		
		>
		> Hello technology list colleagues,
		>
		> I would like to welcome David Collings and Alex Quinn to the
NIFL
		> technology and Literacy Discussion list as our guest
moderators to 
		> lead a discussion on current and emerging uses of media in
adult basic
		> education instruction in the classroom and at a distance.
		> They will be leading the discussion beginning today and
through this 
		> Friday, March 3rd.
		>
		> David Collings is the Technology Coordinator for the Adult and
		> Community Education Network in Delaware - the unit responsible
for
		> support of adult education teachers, learners, and
administrators 
		> throughout the state.  He is also Chair of the Adult  Literacy
and
		> Technology Network - a national organization which  promotes
the use of
		instructional technology.
		>
		> David has worked in adult education for eighteen years and has

		> presented on distance learning and technology at national
conferences
		> in each of the past ten years.  These include  conferences of
the
		> American Association for Adult and Continuing Education, the 
		> Commission on Adult Basic Education, the Correctional
Education
		> Association, and the Adult Literacy and Technology Network.
Prior to
		> his role with Delaware adult  education, David was Project
Manager for 
		> PBS LiteracyLink, a partnership which developed instructional
content
		comprised of video, print, and Web components.
		>
		> Alex Quinn is the Executive Director of the Adult Literacy
Media
		> Alliance (ALMA), a project of Education Development Center.
ALMA 
		> produces multimedia curricula on basic reading, writing, and
math
		> skills, as well theme-based curricula on topics such as health
		> literacy, financial literacy, and family literacy.  ALMA is
the
		> producer of the Emmy Award-winning television series, TV411,
seen on
		> public television and cable stations around the country, and
an
		> extensive web site for adult learners and their instructors,
www.tv411.org <http://www.tv411.org/> .
		>
		> Alex is the principal investigator for a National Science
Foundation
		> project - Tune In To Math - involving the production of
television,
		> print, and web materials on basic math topics as well as
extensive 
		> distribution and outreach collaboration with public
televisions
		> stations.  Alex has led several multimedia projects at ALMA
including:
		> development of a DVD-based financial education curriculum, in
English 
		> and Spanish, produced in partnership with Bank of America;
Health
		> Smarts While You Wait, a multimedia health literacy curriculum
		> designed to be delivered in hospital and clinic waiting areas;
and, as 
		> part of the American Film Institute's Enhanced TV Workshop, an
		> interactive television prototype on math basics designed for
distribution on
		advanced cable television platforms.
		>
		> Welcome Alex and David and thank you for joining us! 
		>
		> Regards,
		> Mariann
		>
		>
		>
		> Mariann Fedele
		> Coordinator of Professional Development, Literacy Assistance
Center
		> Moderator, NIFL Technology and Literacy Discussion List 
		> 32 Broadway 10th Floor
		> New York, New York 10004
		> 212-803-3325
		> mariannf at lacnyc.org 
		> www.lacnyc.org <http://www.lacnyc.org/> 
		> 
		> ----------------------------------------------------
		> National Institute for Literacy 
		> Technology and Literacy mailing list
		> Technology at nifl.gov
		> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go
to 
		> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/technology
		
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	-- 
	Carla S. Watson
	Newport Learning Center Interim Site Manager/Special Projects Officer 
	Northeast Kingdom Learning Services, Inc.
	802-334-2839