United States Distance Learning Association

And districts that already have students
enrolled in distance education courses
indicated that they have plans to increase
these offerings” (para. 4). In a section of
rural Florida it has become increasingly
more difficult for high school students to
dual enroll in community college courses
due to limited transportation and economic
hardship. These students are provided
the opportunity to dual enroll
through distance education courses
offered through the local community college
and accessed at the local high school.
There is also the opportunity for grade forgiveness
and alternative education
through the use of NovaNET a distance
digital education system that follows the
Florida Sunshine State Standards and
allows students to work at their own pace
to complete high school classes for high
school credits. The Florida Virtual School
allows students to access high school
classes through the Internet while at
school or while at home. With distance
education becoming more and more a part
of the regular public high school, it gives
the students a better chance of entering the
labor market equipped with what is
needed to succeed.
NovaNET has provided a leading edge
to a rural school district in Florida as it
allows students to advance through high
school classes and earn high school credits
in alternative settings and at their own
pace. Students in the high school Grade
Forgiveness Program and those entering
the adult education GED program utilize
NovaNET to meet the requirement for
graduation. NovaNET is a form of distance
digital learning that is accessed via the
Internet at a computer base that is
equipped with Internet access. The program
for NovaNET is purchased through
the school district by contract. The computers
and the Internet access are purchased
and provided through grants to the
Career Service department and Adult Education
department. Students placed in
alternative educational programs are also
utilizing NovaNET to keep pace with their
peers while they are excluded from the
regular classroom. Homebound students
are also benefiting from distance learning
through the use of NovaNET. Without
NovaNET or a similar product for distance
education, these students and others like
them would have limited or no access to
education. “With this transition, there is
also a shift toward increased accessibility
for those who are disabled” (Howell, Lindsay,
& Williams, 2003, para. 34). As Frydenberg
(2000, as cited in Howell, Lindsay, &
Williams, 2003) noted, “Many feel that
eLearning holds great promise … for
learners with physical and mental challenges”
(para. 34).
The Florida Virtual High School is
another vehicle for distance education that
has allowed high school students to
advance at their own pace in their own
space. High school students can access the
Internet-based virtual high school through
Internet access provided at the public high
school or from home at an Internet access
computer. The Florida Virtual High School
offers high school students educational
courses not always available in many rural
Florida high schools. “Florida Virtual
School, an Internet-based public school,
offers a rigorous online curriculum for
middle and high school students. Our fully
accredited, award-winning program
serves thousands of students around the
globe!” (Florida Virtual School, 2002). Students
have the opportunity to take English
courses, languages including, but not limited
to, Latin and Spanish, and courses in
the sciences and mathematical fields. Students
enrolled in the Florida Virtual High
School have constant contact with their
teacher through phone conversations and
e-mail correspondence. Florida Virtual
School students take accelerated or regular-length
classes and they have the opportunity
for honor credits.
Dual-enrollment through the local community
college has proved to be an educational
tool like none other. Through
30 Distance Learning Volume 4, Issue 4