Montgomery, Ala. - Discover the exciting world of Alabama Connecting Classrooms, Educators, and Students Statewide (ACCESS) as the Alabama Department of Education (ALSDE) kicks off Distance Learning Week, February 1-5, 2010.
“ACCESS is the door to a world of learning that was once unreachable by some students in Alabama. ACCESS now makes it possible for all high school students in the state to have new learning experiences through distance learning,” said Dr. Melinda Maddox, Director of Technology Initiatives, Alabama State Department of Education.
ACCESS Distance Learning Week begins with an Open House at the three ACCESS Support Centers in Madison, Tuscaloosa, and Troy where the public can see the inner workings of distance learning education. Interactive presentations that demonstrate the accessibility to a world of new information will be shown to high school students throughout the week and will include, among others:
· Aspiring Musician Project: A Song Writer’s Workshop
· Living and Working in Space: NASA’s Return to the Moon
· The Legacy of Langston Hughes presented by the Cleveland Institute of Music
· A look at the Jazz Age presented by the Cleveland Institute of Music
· Exploration into the art, history and culture of Flamenco presented by the Cleveland Institute of Music
· Interviews with Alabama Author/Storyteller Kathryn Tucker Windham and Artist Charlie Lucas, known as the “Tin Man”
The week continues on Wednesday, February 3rd with a big “first” for video conferencing as government and economic high school students will “attend” two live Alabama Senate and House of Representative Committee Meetings. The students will be able to witness firsthand how the committees work to help create new laws and budgets for the state. Alabama Supercomputer, ALSDE’s partner in distance learning and multiple other vendors will make this unique experience possible.
Additional video and Web presentations will be held for students, teachers, principals and superintendents with issues that affect them directly. On Wednesday afternoon, Dr. Tommy Bice, Deputy State Superintendent and Mr. Craig Pouncey, Assistant State Superintendent, of the Alabama State Department of Education, will host a special presentation to provide instructional and financial tips for schools. Exact times and dates can be found at http://accessdl.state.al.us/ on the calendar for Distance Learning Week.
ACCESS makes it possible every day for high school students across the state to have the opportunity to take classes that are not offered at their high schools, get college credit with dual enrollment and Advanced Placement courses, or complete remediation for the Alabama High School Graduation Exam. During ACCESS Distance Learning Week, the ACCESS team in the Technology Initiatives Section of the Alabama Department of Education would like parents, teachers, students, and other members of the community to become more aware of the unique learning opportunities available through ACCESS.
For more information about ACCESS and a complete schedule of the weeks’ activities, visit http://accessdl.state.al.us/. For more information about ACCESS Distance Learning Week, contact the Technology Initiatives Section of the Alabama Department of Education at 334-242-9594.