Life beyond the Large City: A Distance Education Program in Learning Disabilities at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Abstract

Continuing shortages of qualified personnel in special education is a relatively well-known phenomenon, and delivery of teacher education in rural areas is especially problematic. First, students live a far distance from the university campus. Second, they may be “learning on the run,” that is, beginning their career in special education with little preparation for their job. Finally, these students may have family responsibilities that make attending classes that much more difficult. The distance education program at the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Charlotte serves rural areas around the metropolitan area of Charlotte, NC. UNC-Charlotte offers a series of courses through the interactive fiber optic North Carolina Information Highway (NCIH). Because of this program, students from the Charlotte area and surrounding counties have access to professional preservice preparation that will improve their teaching skills and the quality of services provided by teachers who are teaching “out of field.” This paper describes the distance education project at UNC-Charlotte in terms of background of the project, technology used, and faculty and student training for using the distance education technology. Initial evaluation data also are presented. Implications for program development are discussed.