ACCESS

Alabama Connecting Classrooms, Educators, and Students Statewide (ACCESS) is a distance learning program that allows students to take web based courses. These courses are sometimes taught through Interactive Videoconferencing (IVC) or are just simply web based. The program allows schools to offer more classes such as foreign language classes, AP courses, and many electives. Also, ACCESS allows a multitude of resources- internet sites- for teachers to use to supplement the web instruction. There are a lot of resources available like Alabama Virtual Library, ALEX, ChemLab, and more for students to use with their courses. The goal of ACCESS is to provide equal access to high quality learning through 21st century technology. There has been a lot of positive response to the program so far, and it is only 5 years old.

I think that ACCESS is a great program that really does connect educators and students statewide. I like that the students are using technology in their work because knowing about technology is going to be soon be a key component to success. Also, the program allows students to work at their own pace, in a way, and can provide a better learning opportunity through all of the internet resources available. I know that in my small home town, students are now starting to use this program and some of them enjoy it because they feel like they are on the same level as other students from bigger schools. I can see that a draw back of the program might be the little person-to-person contact between the student and the teacher, which I do not like. However, the e -mailing and Interactive Videoconferencing allow sufficient communication. I think that ACCESS is very beneficial to Alabama students, and I hope that the program will reach every state school soon so that all students will have the same great opportunities.