Distance Learning Policy

Distance learning is an educational process that occurs when a teacher and student are not in the same physical location. The learning process is facilitated by one or more technological media.

Faculty and students adhere to the policies of the College and the distance learning guidelines when developing and delivering a distance learning course.

Distance education students will be afforded the same benefits and opportunities as on-campus students.

Distance Learning Guidelines

Purpose

• To establish guidelines for distance learning programs that align with the Carnegie credit hour method.
• To ensure quality in online course delivery for college-level education.
• To maintain compliance with accreditation and regulatory standards.

Scope

• All online courses, hybrid courses, and fully distance learning programs.
• Faculty, staff, and students involved in distance education.

Definitions

• Distance Learning: Courses where instruction and engagement occur primarily through online platforms rather than in-person.
• Carnegie Credit Hour: One credit hour represents one hour of direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out-of-class student work per week over a 15-week semester.
• Synchronous Learning: Real-time instruction where students and instructors interact live.
• Asynchronous Learning: Pre-recorded or self-paced instruction with no real-time interaction.

Credit Hour Calculation

• Synchronous Activities: Faculty-led virtual meetings, live lectures, and discussions count as instructional time.
• Asynchronous Activities: Pre-recorded lectures, reading assignments, discussion boards, and other activities must be equivalent in workload to Carnegie credit hour standards.

Examples of time-on-task for common online activities:

• Watching a video with embedded questions or prompts. (estimated based on video and expected interaction length)
• Completing a reading assignment (estimated time based on word count and difficulty).
• Participating in discussion boards (hours estimated based on expected engagement).

Course Design Standards

Learning Objectives

Courses must include clear, measurable learning objectives that align with program outcomes.

Instructional Materials

All materials must be appropriate for college-level education and accessible to all students.

Interaction and Engagement

Include opportunities for regular and substantive interaction (RSI) between students and instructors.

Examples Include Weekly discussion boards, live Q&A sessions, and group projects.

Assessment

Use a variety of assessment methods (quizzes, assignments, case studies, and simulations).

Ensure that assessments accurately measure student achievement of the stated learning objectives.

Technology Requirements

Students

• Reliable internet connection.
• Access to required hardware and software (e.g., webcams, learning management systems like Canvas or Blackboard).

Faculty

• Training on the learning management system (LMS).
• Access to tools for creating and delivering online content (video recording software, virtual labs, etc.).

Faculty Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain courses that meet the Carnegie credit hour standard.
• Respond to student inquiries within a designated time frame (e.g., 24-48 hours).
• Provide timely and constructive feedback on assignments.
• Participate in professional development for online teaching.

Student Expectations

• Time Commitment: Students should allocate the expected number of hours per week per credit hour.
• Participation: Students must actively engage in online discussions, assignments, and activities.
• Academic Integrity: Adhere to all institutional policies regarding plagiarism and cheating.

Accessibility and Inclusivity

All course materials must comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 508 standards.

Quality Assurance

Online courses will be designed and reviewed for quality using the following.

Course Reviews

MCHP will use standards such as the Quality Matters (QM) Rubric for regular course evaluation.

Student Feedback

Collect and analyze student feedback on course design and instruction to inform future improvements.

Faculty Observation

Regularly evaluate faculty performance in online teaching.

Academic Support for Distance Learners

Resources available to support online students:

• Advising and Counseling: Virtual advising sessions to help students stay on track.
• Library Access: Online access to journals, eBooks, databases, and research guides.
• Technical Support: 24/7 tech support for LMS and other platforms.
• Tutoring Services: Online tutoring for discipline-related subjects.

Privacy and Security

• MCHP will protect student data in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
• The College will ensure secure access to the LMS and other platforms through user authentication (e.g., secure login credentials).

Professional Development for Faculty

• Workshops on best practices for online instruction.
• Training on discipline-specific tools (e.g., virtual anatomy labs, patient care simulations).
• Peer mentoring or coaching programs.

Policy Review and Updates

• Conduct reviews every 2-3 years or as needed to reflect changes in technology, pedagogy, or regulations.

Compliance with Accreditation Standards

Accreditation Standards reviewed while constructing policy:

• U.S. Department of Education. (2011, 2021). Guidance to institutions and accrediting agencies regarding the definition of a credit hour
• New England Commission of Higher Education. (2018). Policy on credits and degrees.
• New England Commission of Higher Education. (2021). Standards for accreditation.
• Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing. (2024). 2023 Standards and criteria.
• Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing. (n.d.). Guidelines: Clock hours, credit hours, and out-of-class work.
• American Registry of Radiologic Technologists. (n.d.). Continuing education requirements.
• American Registry of Radiologic Technologists. (n.d.). Structured education requirements

Carnegie Credit Hour Basics

1 credit = 1 hour of instruction + 2 hours of student work per week over 15 weeks.

This means a total of 3 hours per week per credit (1 hour of instruction + 2 hours of student work).

Over 15 weeks, this totals 45 hours of instruction and 90 hours of student work, for a combined 135 hours, equivalent to a 3-credit course.

8-Week Courses

In an 8-week course, the same total number of hours required for a 15-week course must be delivered, but the workload is condensed into a shorter timeframe.

For a 3-Credit Course

Total required time (instruction + student work): 135 hours over 8 weeks.

Weekly total time commitment: 135 hours ÷ 8 weeks = 16.875 hours per week.

• Instructional Time: 5.625 hours per week (e.g., lectures, discussions, or guided activities).
• Student Work: 11.25 hours per week (e.g., readings, assignments, discussions, or projects).

Sample Weekly Breakdown

Instructional Time (5.625 hours per week):

• 1.5 hours of live virtual or recorded lectures.
• 2 hours of video demonstrations or tutorials.
• 2.125 hours of structured online discussions or interactive activities (e.g., group work, simulations).

Student Work Time (11.25 hours per week):

• 3 hours of assigned readings or research.
• 4 hours on assignments or case studies.
• 2 hours participating in discussion boards.
• 2.25 hours reviewing lecture notes or preparing for assessments.

Key Considerations

• Learning Outcomes: Courses must meet the same learning outcomes as their 15-week equivalents, even with the condensed schedule.
• Time-on-Task: Faculty must carefully estimate the time required for each activity (e.g., how long it takes to watch a video, complete an assignment, or participate in a discussion).
• Student Communication: Clearly communicate the increased weekly workload to students, so they can plan their time effectively.
• Course Design: Use a structured, module-based approach to keep students on track and to balance the workload across weeks.

12-Week Courses

In a 12-week course, the same total hours (135 hours for a 3-credit course) must be delivered, but the weekly workload increases because the term is shorter.

For a 3 Credit Course

Total hours required (instruction + student work): 135 hours over 8 weeks

Weekly total time commitment 135 hours ÷ 12 weeks = 11.25 hours per week.

• Instructional Time: 3.75 hours per week (e.g., lectures, discussions, or guided activities).
• Student Work: 7.5 hours per week (e.g., readings, assignments, projects, or studying).

Sample Weekly Breakdown

Instructional Time (3.75 hours per week):

• 1.5 hours of recorded lectures or live sessions.
• 1 hour of instructor-led discussion boards or interactive activities.
• 1.25 hours of guided exercises, virtual labs, or multimedia (videos, tutorials, etc.).

Student Work (7.5 hours per week):

• 2.5 hours of assigned readings or research.
• 3 hours completing assignments, projects, or case studies.
• 2 hours preparing for quizzes or reviewing course materials.

Key Considerations

• Learning Outcomes: Courses must meet the same learning outcomes as their 15-week equivalents, even with the condensed schedule.
• Time-on-Task: Faculty must carefully estimate the time required for each activity (e.g., how long it takes to watch a video, complete an assignment, or participate in a discussion).
• Student Communication: Clearly communicate the increased weekly workload to students, so they can plan their time effectively.
• Course Design: Use a structured, module-based approach to keep students on track and to balance the workload across weeks.

Summary for Accelerated Courses

• The total 135 hours of learning activities for a 3-credit course remains constant.
• Faculty must design activities and assessments that align with the condensed schedule while maintaining academic quality and rigor.
• By following these guidelines, your condensed course will still meet the Carnegie credit hour standard and ensure a high-quality learning experience.

Impact of Asynchronous Delivery on Expectations and Policies

Time-on-Task for Credit Hour Compliance

In an asynchronous course, the Carnegie credit hour standard still applies:

• For a 3-credit-hour course, students must engage in 135 total hours of learning activities (instruction + student work) across the term (e.g., 15 weeks or 8 weeks).

The instructor must design explicit activities that meet this requirement, even if no live interaction occurs.

Key Considerations

Since there are no live class meetings, instructional activities must be clearly structured, measurable, and equivalent in rigor to synchronous instruction.

Instructional Time in Asynchronous Learning

Instructional time in asynchronous courses is counted as any activity where an instructor is guiding or delivering content. Examples include:

• Recorded Lectures or Demonstrations: Videos, narrated slides, or screencasts created by the instructor, with embedded questions or prompts
• Interactive Content: video simulations, virtual labs, or scenario-based learning created by the instructor.
• Structured Discussions: Discussion boards where the instructor moderates, provides prompts, and participates.
• Guided Activities: Assignments with detailed instructions, modeled examples, or supplemental resources.

Student Work in Asynchronous Courses

Student work refers to activities done independently and includes:

• Reading assignments.
• Writing papers or reports.
• Passive video watching or completing case studies independently.
• Unguided practice problems or projects.
• Completing homework, projects, or assessments.

Example Weekly Breakdown (3-Credit 15-Week Course, 9 hours per week total)

Instructional Time (3 hours)

• 0.5 hours Instructor recorded videos with embedded questions or prompts
• 2 hours of structured discussion board interaction.
• 0.5 hours of instructor-created guided activities.

Student Work (6 hours)

• 2 hours of reading.
• 2 hours working on assignments.
• 2 hours preparing for assessments, reviewing materials, or reviewing feedback from the instructor.

Policies for Asynchronous Courses

Communication Expectations

Instructor Availability

Instructors must specify clear "virtual office hours" and response times for emails or discussion board posts (e.g., within 24-48 hours).

Ensure regular and substantive interaction (RSI), as required by federal distance education regulations.

Examples of RSI: Weekly video introductions outlining objectives and expectations, timely personalized feedback on assignments, active facilitation of discussions (posting follow-up questions, highlighting exemplary student posts, and synthesizing themes), periodic announcements summarizing learning progress, clarifying misconceptions, and previewing upcoming content.

Student Engagement

• Require students to log in and participate multiple times per week (e.g., post initial discussion responses by Wednesday and replies by Sunday).
• Clearly communicate deadlines and expectations for all activities to ensure transparency and accountability.

Course Design Standards

Since students work independently, the course must be well-organized and intuitive.

• Consistent Structure: Use a module-based format with clear weekly objectives, materials, activities, and assessments.
• Detailed Instructions: Provide step-by-step guidance for completing assignments and activities.
• Accessible Materials: Ensure all content (e.g., videos, PDFs) meets ADA compliance standards for accessibility (e.g., closed captions, alt text).

Assessment

Utilize a range of assessment methods to ensure students meet learning objectives without requiring live interaction. Examples:

• Quizzes and Exams.
• Written assignments and case studies.
• Video presentations shared with peers for feedback.
• Group projects or peer-reviewed discussions.

Provide timely, personalized feedback to help students stay on track.

Monitoring and Quality Assurance

Because asynchronous courses lack real-time interaction, regular monitoring is crucial to ensure quality:

• Track Student Engagement: Use LMS analytics to monitor participation (e.g., logins, time-on-task, assignment submissions).
• Gather Feedback: Conduct midterm and end-of-course surveys to identify student concerns.
• Review Course Design: Regularly review courses to ensure they meet accreditation standards and institutional policies.

Summary

While asynchronous courses eliminate live interactions, they do not reduce instructional or student workload expectations. You’ll need to design and monitor these courses carefully to ensure they meet the same credit hour requirements and learning outcomes as synchronous courses. By providing clear instructions, engaging content, and regular feedback, asynchronous courses can deliver high-quality education effectively.

ADA Compliance Standards for Accessibility in Education

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and related laws (e.g., Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act) require institutions to ensure that all programs, including online courses, are accessible to individuals with disabilities. Accessibility ensures that students with disabilities have equal access to course content and can fully participate in educational activities.

Below is a detailed breakdown of ADA compliance standards and best practices for creating accessible educational content:

General Principles of Accessibility

• Equitable Access: Ensure that students with disabilities have access to the same information, can complete the same tasks, and achieve the same learning outcomes as their peers.
• Usability: The content must be easy to navigate and interact with for all users, including those using assistive technologies like screen readers or keyboard navigation.
• Proactive Design: Accessibility should be built into the course from the outset, rather than being added later as an accommodation.

Key Areas of Accessibility Compliance

Digital Documents (PDFs, Word, PowerPoint)

• Searchable Text: Scanned documents must be converted into readable, searchable text using Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology.
• Headings and Structure: Use proper heading styles (e.g., Heading 1, Heading 2) in documents to allow screen readers to navigate content easily.
• Alt Text: Add alternative text descriptions for images, charts, and graphs.
• Accessible Links: Use descriptive link text (e.g., "View the syllabus" instead of "Click here").
• Tables: Use simple tables with clear row and column headers. Avoid using tables for layout purposes.

Video and Audio Content

• Closed Captions: All videos must have accurate, synchronized captions for students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
• Transcripts: Provide text transcripts for all audio content (e.g., podcasts, recorded lectures, videos).
• Audio Quality: Ensure clear audio with minimal background noise.
• Descriptive Audio: For videos with critical visual information, provide audio descriptions of what is happening on-screen.

Learning Management System (LMS) Content

• Keyboard Navigation: Ensure that all course materials and activities can be navigated using only a keyboard (important for students with motor disabilities).
• Screen Reader Compatibility: Ensure that the LMS and all integrated tools (e.g., quizzes, discussion boards) are compatible with screen readers such as JAWS, NVDA, or Voiceover.
• Consistent Navigation: Use a predictable and consistent layout for course modules, menus, and pages.

Images and Visual Content

• Alternative Text (Alt Text): Add concise descriptions for all images, graphs, and charts to convey their meaning.
  • Example: For a graph showing rising temperatures, the alt text could say, "Line graph showing an increase in average temperatures from 2000 to 2020."
• Decorative Images: Mark purely decorative images as such to avoid unnecessary distractions for screen reader users.

Assessments

• Accessible Question Formats: Avoid using images or charts in questions unless accompanied by alt text or full descriptions. Use clear, plain language.
• Extended Time Options: Ensure that timed quizzes or tests can accommodate extended time for students with disabilities.
• Keyboard-Accessible Tools: Ensure interactive tools (e.g., drag-and-drop questions) are also operable via keyboard.

Color and Contrast

• High Contrast: Ensure sufficient contrast between text and background colors (e.g., black text on a white background). Use tools like the WebAIM Contrast Checker to confirm compliance.
• Avoid Color Reliance: Do not rely solely on color to convey meaning (e.g., “Click the green button” is inaccessible to students with color blindness). Add labels or patterns as alternatives.

Fonts and Text

• Font Family: Use clear, sans-serif fonts for better readability on screen. (Arial, Calibri, Verdana),
• Font Size: Relative font sizes (such as percents or ems) provide more flexibility in modifying the visual presentation compared to absolute units (such as pixels or points).
• Line Spacing: Use adequate line spacing (1.5x or double spacing) to improve readability.
• Text Justification: Avoid fully justified text, as it can create uneven spacing and hinder readability.
• Avoid All Caps: Use sentence case instead of all uppercase letters for better readability.
• Underlined Text: The convention of underlined links has been around as long as the World Wide Web. Using underlined text for purposes other than links on the web will likely confuse some users, who may attempt to click on the underlined terms. Similarly, links that are not underlined may not be as obvious.

Interactive Tools and Third-Party Software

• Ensure that any external tools or software integrated into the course are accessible and compatible.
• Confirm compliance with WCAG 2.1 AA standards (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines).

Examples: Virtual labs, simulations, or eBooks should work with assistive technologies.

Accessibility Standards and Legal Frameworks

To comply with ADA regulations and ensure accessibility, courses should adhere to the following guidelines:

WCAG 2.1 (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines)

Level AA compliance is the standard for educational institutions. Key principles include:

• Perceivable: Content must be available to all senses (e.g., text alternatives for images, captions for videos).
• Operable: Interface elements must be navigable (e.g., keyboard navigation).
• Understandable: Content must be clear and easy to understand (e.g., plain language, consistent layout).
• Robust: Content must work with current and future assistive technologies.

Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act

Section 508 applies to federal agencies but also acts as a benchmark for educational institutions. It requires electronic and information technology to be accessible to people with disabilities.

ADA Title III

Prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in public accommodations, including colleges and universities.

Tools and Resources for Accessibility

Accessibility Checkers

• Microsoft Office: Built-in accessibility checker for Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.
• Adobe Acrobat: Accessibility tools for PDFs.
• WebAIM’s WAVE Tool: Evaluates web pages for accessibility issues.

Captioning Tools

• Microsoft Stream: Auto-captions (must be checked for accuracy).
• Rev or Otter.ai: Paid tools for more accurate captions and transcripts.

Screen Reader Testing

• Use the Read Aloud Chrome Extension to test course content from a student perspective.

Faculty and Staff Training

• Provide ongoing training for faculty and staff on best practices for accessibility.
• Include workshops on how to create accessible documents, videos, and interactive activities.
• Provide guides and resources for effectively using accessibility tools.

Monitoring and Updates

• Conduct regular audits of online courses to ensure compliance with ADA and WCAG standards.
• Gather feedback from students to identify and address accessibility challenges.
• Update materials and practices as new accessibility technologies and guidelines become available.

Support for Students with Disabilities

Accommodations

Clearly outline how students can request accommodations through your institution's disability services office.

Camera and Microphone Use

Ensure that the use of cameras and microphones during online classes respects student privacy and confidentiality.

• Allow students to use virtual backgrounds during video calls to protect their physical environment.

Proctoring Tools and Consent

If online proctoring software is used, obtain student consent and provide transparency about data collection, storage, and use.

Intellectual Property

Faculty-Created Content

Materials created by faculty for online instruction remain the intellectual property of the institution unless otherwise specified in employment contracts or agreements.

Student Work Ownership

Students retain intellectual property rights to their original work submitted as part of course requirements.

Use of Open Educational Resources (OER)

Faculty are encouraged to use open educational resources (OER) where appropriate. All OER must comply with accessibility and copyright laws.

Copyright Compliance

All faculty and staff are expected to understand copyright laws when using third-party materials in their teaching and learning activities.