Distance Learning

The NEKLS home service region encompasses Vermont’s three most rural counties.  Town populations range from sixty to just over five thousand.  These towns are widely scattered.  In all but a few towns, residents often have to drive over on hundred miles round trip to meet with state social services agency personnel or to enroll in or take educational or vocational courses or trainings.  There is no public transportation.  Many families do not have the time, discretionary funds, vehicle access or childcare necessary to make repeated trips to social, educational or vocational service sites.

In order to increase access to educational and vocational programs and do so in a manner that recognizes and respects the personal challenges of those we serve, NEKLS has developed and offers a comprehensive, multi-site, multi-option distance learning service.

The NEKLS distance learning program exemplifies the concept of public/private partnership.  Program partners include NEKLS, local schools and the Vermont Department of Labor.  The distance learning program has two primary goals: assure convenient, consistent site accessibility for services; and offer a comprehensive program of educational and vocational instruction.

Since one project goal is access, classes are sited in local schools, libraries and town halls.  Each end user site will have one portable videoconferencing unit.  Units are moved from end user site to end user site, according to the class schedules.  Placement of these units at local facilities assures that the goal of no town resident being more than a few miles from an end user site is met.  Classes utilizing partner or loaned facilities will be scheduled for evenings and Saturdays.  NEKLS sited classes are scheduled for day, evening and weekend.   
When possible, instruction will utilize videoconferencing technology and be real time.  The instruction originates from a hub site and is received at multiple end user sites.  Sites will be able to interact with each other.  Each remote site class will have a mentor present to assist students.  Limited in-home services utilizing computers is available when band capacity permits.  SmartBoard technology also is utilized at selected hub and end user sites.  At NEKLS learning centers, telephone assistance for students is available during center hours for answering student questions.  Emails as well as traditional on-line communication also are available.  All students will have access to on-line assessment and homework review and grading.  Other project components include professional development with end user sites at NEKLS centers and instruction originating from an NEKLS or from another organization’s hub site.  Professional consultations also will be available to NEKLS staff and clients.  Hubs usually are remote university or clinical sites.  Consultations also may include behavioral observations in a client home as the most natural settings via videoconferencing unit placement.

EDUCATIONAL AND TRAINING OPTIONS

• On-line career center training and courses for skill enhancement for credentialing purposes
• Employer specific training including employer worksite/task observation from remote classroom
• Professional development courses, trainings
• Clinical consultations to providers and persons receiving services
• Community access/lessons (civics, citizenship) observing on-site legislative committee meetings
• Adult basic education instruction
• English as a Second Language instruction
• Work Ethic (soft skills) instruction

Enrollment in the NEKLS distance learning program depends on course scheduling, ability to meet institutional enrollment standards and tuition/fee requirements.  Most instruction delivered by NEKLS (High School Completion Program, Adult Basic Education, and English as a Second Language for instance) has open enrollment.  Students can sign up for instruction at any time.  There are few pre-qualifying requirements.  There is rarely a fee for NEKLS publicly funded instructional services.  Some technical and employer programs have eligibility and registration requirements.  NEKLS always complies with these standards.

For more information on the NEKLS distance learning program, the NEKLS corporate operations center should be contacted.