1
Los Angeles City College
Guide to Distance
Education
LACC Distance Education Subcommittee
Approved by the LACC Academic Senate
December 5, 2013
2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Mission and Vision Statement
4
Introduction and Purpose
5
Training
7
Expectations of Instructors
11
Curriculum Development
12
Syllabus Requirements and Student Learning Outcomes
13
Online Course Enrollment
14
Accessibility of Los Angeles City College Distance Education Courses
14
Student Services and Resources
18
Authentication and Verification of Student Identity
19
Appendices
A. Rubrics for Online Instruction
21
B. LACCD Online Absentee Policy
33
C. Regular Effective Contact Policy
34
D. Last Date of Attendance Drop Policy — Federal Guidelines
39
E. OSS DE Accommodations Procedures and Syllabus Statement
40
F. Distance Education Evaluation
41
H. Course Design Evaluation Calendar
42
3
Distance Education Mission Statement
Distance Education at Los Angeles City College empowers its students from the diverse
community it serves to achieve their educational and career goals by providing learnercentered pathways to success through transfer, career and technical education, and
foundational skills programs. Distance Education strives to meet the needs of all its
students while maintaining support for instructors using web-based or web-enhanced
classes.
Vision Statement
Distance Education offers students preparation for success in the modern world of
technology and global accessibility. It serves as an expression of the college’s
commitment to embracing student diversity while providing students with the best in
educational and technological advancements to help them succeed.
Statement of Authorship
This Guide to Online Instruction and the policies stated herein is approved by the
President of Los Angeles City College upon recommendation by the LACC Academic
Senate. The Academic Senate, through its Distance Education Subcommittee, and the
Vice President of Academic Affairs are jointly responsible for ensuring the accuracy of
the contents of this guide and for ensuring that this guide is updated as needed in a
timely manner.
4
I. Introduction and Purpose
The purpose of this guide is to serve as a professional development and curriculum
resource for faculty teaching online or interested in teaching online. It provides
information about resources, support, policies, and procedures in distance education at
Los Angeles City College.
The Los Angeles City College Guide to Distance Education was prepared by the
College’s Distance Education Subcommittee and the Academic Senate.
Distance Education Subcommittee:
Purpose
The Distance Education Subcommittee is a standing subcommittee of the Educational
Policies and Program Integrity Committee (EPPIC) of the Academic Senate. Its purpose
is to make recommendations to the EPPIC on academic and professional standards
related to distance education, including: certifying faculty in the use of college approved
distance education platforms; recommending policies on preparing faculty for teaching
in the distance education mode; and ensuring accreditation standards regarding
distance education programs are maintained. (DE Subcommittee Operating Agreement,
Approved by Academic Senate Executive Committee 03/26/13)
What is distance learning?
Section 51865 of the California Education Code defines distance learning as:
Instruction in which the pupil and instructor are in different locations and
interact through the use of computer and communications technology.
Distance learning may include video or audio instruction in which the
primary mode of communication between pupil and instructor is
instructional television, video, telecourses, or any other instruction that
relies on computer or communications technology.
The Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges defines Distance
Education as:
Distance education is defined, for the purpose of accreditation review as a
formal interaction which uses one or more technologies to deliver
instruction to students who are separated from the instructor and which
supports regular and substantive interaction between the students and
instructor, either synchronously or asynchronously. Distance education
often incorporates technologies such as the internet; one-way and two
way transmissions through open broadcast, closed circuit, cable,
5
microwave, broadband lines, fiber optics, satellite, or wireless
communications devices; audio conferencing; or video cassettes, DVDs,
and CD-ROMs, in conjunction with any of the other technologies. (Guide
to Evaluating Distance Education and Correspondence Education, August
2012, p. 2).
Conversely, Correspondence Education means:
(1) Education provided through one or more courses by an institution
under which the institution provides instructional materials, by mail or
electronic transmission, including examinations on the materials, to
students who are separated from the instructor;
(2) Interaction between the instructor and the student is limited, is not
regular and substantive, and is primarily initiated by the student;
(3) Correspondence courses are typically self-paced; and,
(4) Correspondence education is not distance education.
The important difference between distance education and correspondence education is
(2) above in that interaction between the instructor and the student is limited, is not
regular and substantive, and is primarily initiated by the student.
Los Angeles Community College District Office of the Chancellor Administrative
Regulation E-89 defines distance education as:
Distance education is defined, for the purpose of accreditation review, as a formal
interaction which uses one or more technologies to deliver instruction to students who
are separated from the instructor and which supports regular and substantive interaction
between the students and instructor, either synchronously or asynchronously. Distance
education often incorporates technologies such as the internet; one-way and two-way
transmissions through open broadcast, closed circuit, cable, microwave, broadband
lines, fiber optics, satellite, or wireless communications devices; audio conferencing; or
video cassettes, DVDs, and CD-ROMs, in conjunction with any of the other
technologies.
Article 40 of the 2011 – 2014 agreement between the Los Angeles Community College
District (LACCD) and the Los Angeles College Faculty Guild (AFT) defines distance
learning as:
a formal mode of interaction which uses one or more technologies to
deliver instruction to students who are separated from the instructor and
which supports regular and substantive interaction between the students
and instructor, either synchronously or asynchronously.
6
This Guide serves as a resource for Los Angeles City College (LACC) instructors
teaching online, hybrid, or web-enhanced classes. In addition to identifying the
resources available to instructors and their students, the guide includes policies and
procedures relating to distance education that have been developed by both the District
and the College.
Definitions
Fully Online Course: This is either a synchronous or asynchronous course and does
not require the student to attend campus. All instructional aspects of the course
including lectures, assignments, projects, discussion board activity, assessments and
communication options are presented in the online format. However, faculty can require
proctored in-person exams at a remote location. This information needs to be made
available to the student in the syllabus.
Hybrid Course: These blended courses are taught utilizing both the traditional and
online classroom. Specific percentages of time used for each format is dictated by the
course itself and approved through the curriculum review process. Lab courses are
often taught as a hybrid course with the lecture portion being delivered online and the
lab component conducted in the physical classroom.
Web-Enhanced Course: All courses can now be enhanced with the CMS. Instructors
utilizing the CMS are able to use all of its features, including the lecture and assignment
areas, communication, gradebook and discussion boards to display content for their on
ground course sections. The CMS is only used to supplement a regularly scheduled on
ground course so that students have additional access to course material and the ability
to communicate online. It cannot be used to replace the instructor’s obligation from
being in the physical classroom.
7
II. Training and Proficiency for Teaching Distance Education
Before teaching an online or hybrid class for the first time, faculty must be certified by
the Distance Education Subcommittee as meeting its established proficiency standards
as approved by the Academic Senate. These standards require that first-time online
faculty demonstrate proficiency in the college Course Management System (CMS),
complete an approved professional development training course in distance education
pedagogy, and meet quality standards for the course site in the CMS.
A. Proficiency in the Course Management System
Before teaching an online or hybrid class for the first time, faculty must complete
training in the college Course Management System.
Instructors who successfully complete the training will be fully reimbursed for the cost.
Prior to the training start date instructors are required to submit a Conference or Activity
Travel Expense Claim found at:
http://www.lacitycollege.edu/adminservices/forms2/forms.htm.
After training is complete a Report on Conference Attendance must be completed and
be found at: http://www.laccd.edu/FacultyStaff/forms/Documents/Report-onConference-Attendance.pdf
Currently, Etudes is the contracted vendor that hosts the online, hybrid, and webenhanced classes so that LACC server issues and maintenance do not affect the CMS
course sites. Becoming familiar with CMS system requirements, login procedures, and
available resources is essential. Once CMS training is completed, “development” shells
should be requested.. This shell will provide a practice course site that can be used in
the development of an online course.
Teaching Learning Center
The mission of the Teaching Learning Center (TLC) is to provide faculty and staff with
training and technical assistance to support instruction, with an emphasis on using
technology to increase teaching effectiveness and student learning.
The Teaching Learning Center is the academic computing and technology center for
faculty and staff at Los Angeles City College. The center provides assistance and
training in the use of computer hardware and peripheral devices with particular
emphasis on supporting classroom instruction. The TLC also offers software training,
including standard office applications such as Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint,
as well as specialized multimedia applications and proprietary administrative software.
The TLC provides a pilot/demo location for exploring new technologies and a central
repository of shared equipment allowing many departments to utilize more expensive
items without incurring repeated costs. The TLC encourages and supports the use of
the Internet as a strategy for addressing facility physical constraints, student learning
styles, and accessibility considerations and coordinates Internet-facilitated distance
education for the campus.
8
In addition, instructors are encouraged to use the resources available at the Teaching
Learning Center and Digital Design Studio to make their courses more engaging to
students by incorporating multimedia, podcasts and videos. Students can also be
assigned group projects, asked to explore relevant web resources to share with the
class, evaluate peer contributions and other activities requiring analysis, synthesis and
evaluation with application to real-life situations.
B. Distance Education Pedagogy Training
Because teaching online is different than teaching face-to-face and involves different
pedagogical strategies, it is required that faculty teaching online or hybrid courses for
the first time complete professional development training specifically in online
pedagogy.
One Etudes-specific resource available is The Cyber Teachers’ Institute at
http://etudes.org/cti/ consists of three professional development classes that focus on
best online teaching practices. It is available to free to all instructors and its fees
reimbursable by following the procedure described above who use Etudes.
Even more training opportunities are available through @ONE, which is funded by the
California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office. @ONE offers a variety of courses
on best practices in online instruction. Courses are typically 4-5 weeks in duration and
cost $65 each. For more information go to http://www.onefortraining.org.
C. Development of Course Site for First-Time DE Faculty
Los Angeles City College Distance Education Subcommittee has developed an online
course rubric (Appendix A) derived from California State University, Chico’s Rubric for
Online Instruction. Each course site approved for presentation to LACC students must
first conform to the Course Site Rubric (Rubric) standards. A faculty member who has
an interest in teaching a course online for the first time will follow the following process:
1. Obtain all the necessary online delivery certification in CMS usage and pedagogy
described in this section.
2. Request a Distance Education Subcommittee approved Etudes template from
the Distance Education Coordinator.
3. The faculty member will then develop his/her course ensuring that all of the
standards of the Rubric are met.
4. Once the faculty member decides his course site is ready for review, he/she will
notify the Distance Education Coordinator.
NOTE: This is not curriculum approval, and this process is not to be used to
judge the content of the course. This is strictly for determining the quality of the
online course site itself. DE and hybrid courses are approved by the Curriculum
Committee under the college curriculum approval as described in E-65 and E-89.
5. The Distance Education Coordinator will assign the course to two peer mentors.
9
6. The peer mentors will have full access to the course and be assigned as
students in the course. Peer mentors will complete their review within two weeks
and will score the course site according to the Rubric. Their recommendations
will be sent to the Distance Education Subcommittee for final approval. One of
the following recommendations will be made based upon the course site review:
a. Approve as presented.
b. Conditionally approve recommended changes.
c. Not approve.
NOTE: This is not a live course, does not have actual students enrolled, and the
review by peer mentors is not to be construed as any sort of performance
evaluation of the faculty member as defined in Articles 19 and 42 of the AFT
1521 Agreement. This is strictly professional development to establish
proficiency in distance education delivery methods. Per Article 40 of the
Agreement, time spent by the faculty member in this process can be applied
towards his/her professional development (flex) obligation for the year.
7. If the recommendation is to not approve the course site as presented, the faculty
member will be provided with an explanation as to why the course site does not
meet the standards and specifically how the course site can be revised so that it
does meet the standards.
8. The faculty member shall be given an opportunity to revise the course site to
meet the “a” standard.
a. Once the faculty member has revised the course site according to the
peer mentor assessment, the course site shall then again be presented to
the peer mentors for approval. This process can be completed as many
times as necessary until the course site meets the standards of the Rubric
as determined by the peer mentors.
b. The faculty member has the opportunity to dispute the peer mentors
recommendations to the full Distance Education Subcommittee. The
Distance Education Subcommittee has the authority to override the
recommendations of the peer mentors and approve the course site by a
majority vote. The faculty member and the peer reviewers shall be given
the opportunity to present their findings to the full Distance Education
Subcommittee.
9. Peer mentor recommendations shall be voted on at a regularly scheduled
Distance Education Subcommittee meeting.
10. Once approved by the full Distance Education Subcommittee, the department
chair and his/her supervising dean will be notified that the course site is approved
for delivery at the next available.
10
III. Expectations of Instructors
A. Use of the College’s Course Management System (CMS)
Los Angeles City College Policy on Course Management Systems
All fully online and hybrid distance education courses will utilize a common course
management system housed on the LACC server or delivered by a vendor under
contract with LACC. Any deviations from using college-approved CMS will only be
allowed upon approval and discretion of the Vice President of Academic Affairs for a
limited period. Web-enhanced courses are not subject to this policy.
Faculty are responsible for keeping current on the CMS platform, distance education
pedagogy and college information. Professional development activities and
informational announcements are sent regularly through college email. Frequent faculty
visits to the Etudes Users’ Group and participation in discussions among colleagues can
be very beneficial.
In addition to the Users’ Group there are a number of online resources available to
instructors at http://etudesproject.org/support.htm. These resources include an
Overview of Etudes (PowerPoint and Video) and PowerPoint slide presentations for
specific Etudes tools—Melete Lesson Builder; JForum Discussion/Private Messaging;
and Assignments, Tests and Surveys.
B. Evaluations
All faculty, regardless of teaching modality, are evaluated on a regular basis. The full
agreement between the Los Angeles Community College District and the Los Angeles
College Faculty Guild can be accessed at:
http://www.laccd.edu/Departments/HumanResources/Documents/20112014FacultyContract.pdf
and should be reviewed for specific details.
C. Regular and Effective Contact, Attendance and Class Activity
Regular and effective contact must be instructor initiated and may include email, private
messaging, instant messaging, online chat, threaded discussion, phone and/or web
conferencing. At a minimum, instructors must include information about their office
hours and the mode(s) of delivery used for office hours in their syllabi as well as a clear
commitment to respond to student questions in a regular and timely manner indicating
how quickly students can expect responses to questions (24 hours, 48 hours, etc.). It is
suggested expected that for short term classes instructors reply to student inquiries
daily, except weekends, and for full-term classes, at least three times per week. (See
Appendix B: LACCD Online Absentee Policy, and Appendix C: Regular and Effective
Contact Policy).
11
Office hours are a contractual obligation beyond the required weekly teaching load and
thus cannot be used to meet the obligations under Regular and Effective Contact policy.
IV. Curriculum Development
The process for Curriculum Development and Approval is outlined in two administrative
regulations of the Office of the Chancellor for the Los Angeles Community Colleges:
1. E-65: Curriculum Development and Approval: Standards and Procedures:
http://www.laccd.edu/About/Documents/AdministrativeRegulations/E-65.pdf
2. E-89: Distance Education Courses:
http://www.laccd.edu/About/Documents/AdministrativeRegulations/E-89.pdf
These forms are often updated. Please check the LACCD website for the most recent
version, http://www.laccd.edu/About/Pages/Admin-Regs.aspx
For LACC procedures please refer to LACC Curriculum Committee Sharepoint Site:
http://sharepoint.lacitycollege.edu/senate/curriculum/default.aspx
The timeline for development of an online course depends on many factors such as if
the course is a new course or an addendum to an existing course. Generally an
addendum to existing course should be presented to the Academic Senate Curriculum
Committee at least two months prior to the course being presented to the Distance
Education Subcommittee. However, if the addendum is to be included as part of a
course update then plan at least one semester before being presented to the Distance
Education Subcommittee. Please consult your Department Chair and/or Curriculum
Committee Chair for specifics.
12
V. Syllabus Requirements and Student Learning Outcomes
Your Department Chair should review your course syllabi prior to each semester.
Faculty should visit the LACC Student Learning Outcomes website at
http://sharepoint.lacitycollege.edu/effectiveness/outcomes/default.aspx for more
information relating to SLO requirements.
Student Learning Outcomes are not to be confused with course objectives, which
should also be included in your syllabi. For example,An example of an SLO statement is
"Upon successful completion of this course the student will be able to…
.” ".
This information is available from the course outline of record at
https://ecd.laccd.edu/CC_Search_1.aspx.
Student Learning Outcomes should be explained to the class when the instructor
reviews the syllabus at the beginning of the semester.
Board Rule 6705.20
During the first week of classes, the faculty members teaching classes shall provide
students and the Department Chairperson (in hard copy or electronically) a syllabus that
describes work product which will be the basis for determining each student's grade in
the class as well as the grading criteria for the class. Furthermore, the syllabus shall
include the approved course student learning outcomes, an accommodation statement
for students registered through the DSPS office, instructor contact information, and a
reference to the student code of conduct as it relates to academic dishonesty (Board
Rule 9803.28).
Proctored Exams
Faculty may require at their discretion that all exams be taken in person and proctored,
either at LACC or at a contracted proctored exam site. If in-person exams are required,
the instructor must state this requirement clearly in the syllabus and include information
about where to take the proctored exams.
13
VI. Online Course Enrollment
The LACCD has specific rules about the enrollment caps for online classes that vary
from face-to-face. This information is available in Article 40 of the Agreement between
the Los Angeles Community College District and the Los Angeles College Faculty Guild
for specifics. The fFull agreement can be accessed at:
http://www.laccd.edu/Departments/HumanResources/Documents/20112014FacultyContract.pdf
Online courses are extremely popular and most fill quickly. Students wishing to add
closed classes may email the instructor. If the student’s full name, Student ID number,
the name of the class, and the section number are included in the email request, the
instructor may forward the add request to LACC Admissions for processing.
VII. Accessibility of Los Angeles City College Distance Education Courses for
Students with Disabilities
In planning or revising a distance education course, it is important to be aware of
possible accessibility concerns that may arise for students with disabilities and to be
aware that planning at the front end can result in a course that reflects the principles of
Universal Design. This means that the course is designed to be usable and accessible
to all students.
Ensuring accessibility expands the market for distance education courses and supports
the open enrollment policies of the California Community College system. In addition,
there are policy and legal mandates regarding access. The following are relevant legal
requirements:
Federal Rehabilitation Act of Prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in educational settings
1973, Section 504
which receive federal dollars.
Federal Rehabilitation Act of Requires equal access to telecommunications, which is defined to
1973, Section 508 (revised) include services and programs delivered via the Internet. The State
Attorney General for the CCC has ruled that Section 508 applies to
distance education offered by the CCC system schools. Instructors bear
the responsibility of making their classes accessible to all students prior
to the start of the class. Students with disabilities should not have to
request special accommodations because the course is not accessible,
nor are they required to reveal their disability.
14
Federal Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA)
Requires programs and services, including educational programs to be
accessible to qualified persons with disabilities. Requires also that all
telecommunication must be equal and equally effective.
California Title 5
Prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability.
A. CCC Chancellor’s Guidelines:
The Office the Chancellor for the California Community College System has issued a
document: Distance Education: Access Guidelines for Students with Disabilities.
The document is available at:
http://extranet.cccco.edu/Portals/1/AA/DE/2011DistanceEducationAccessibilityGuideline
s%20FINAL.pdf
This guide was updated in January 2011. The guidelines are comprehensive and
include strategies for addressing access concerns with all distance education formats,
including online education. The guidelines also address changes in laws that pertain to
distance education.
B. Course Content vs. Course Design/Format:
The Curriculum Committee process at Los Angeles City College is designed to review
and approve course content, learning goals, etc., which is different from the issue of
accessible design. All courses scheduled for even some instruction in a distance
education modality must be accessible for students with disabilities.
In recognition of this difference, the Los Angeles City College Distance Education
subcommittee has implemented a separate process for ensuring that course design
meets accessibility standards before the course can be placed in the LACC Schedule of
Classes.
Examples of General Distance Education Access Issues and Possible Solutions
Media
Online
Access Concern
Students who use assistive technology may not be able to access online
information, depending on the design of the course Web pages. Multimedia content
needs special attention to address access concerns. Some Web technology does
not currently have an accessibility strategy.
Follow accessibility design guidelines for Section 508. Do not use technologies that
have no current accessibility solution. (Example: Java-based Chat)
Section 508 Government Website (contains most recent updates)
http://www.section508.gov/
Solution(s)
Resources
Media
Print
Access Concern
Students who are blind or visually impaired will not be able to read standard printed
materials.
Braille, e-text, large print, audiotape.
Solution(s)
15
Resources
Students who require assistance with printed materials should work directly with the
Office of Special Services (323-953-4000 x. 2270) to develop appropriate
accommodations; the OSS will work with students who require any of the alternate
print medias listed above.
Media
Audio Conferencing – Telephone
Access Concern
Students who are deaf or hard of hearing can’t hear it.
Students with speech problems can’t respond over the system.
Text Telephones (TTY).
Telecommunication. Devices for the Deaf (TDD).
Telephone Relay System (TRS).
Web-based “live chat” programs with “real-time” transcription.
CCCConfer, which provides captioning or other assistive technology if notified within
48 hours of call or video conferencing
Solution(s)
Resources
Media
Access Concern
Solution(s)
Resources
Video Conferencing/Video Transmission (Live), which may include real-time twoway video and audio or one-way video/two-way audio.
Blind/low vision can’t see it.
Deaf/hard of hearing can’t hear it.
Those with speech impairment can’t readily participate.
Supplemental print materials inaccessible to blind/low vision students.
Real-time closed or open captioning of broadcasts. (Deaf/HOH)
Use of Sign Language interpreter in small window on video screen. (Deaf/HOH)
Use of Sign Language interpreter in location of the student.
Descriptive captioning (Blind/Low Vision).
To facilitate communication, a TTY link to the classroom or studio, TRS, and/or live
Web-based chat.
Supplemental print materials in appropriate alternate format.
Real-time descriptive narration or descriptions by the instructor of visual
Objects which have significant instructional content as a part of the course
dialogue/lecture.
CCCConfer, which provides captioning or other assistive technology if notified within
48 hours of call or video conferencing
Media
Video Transmission (Pre-recorded)
Access Concern
Blind/low vision can’t see it.
Deaf/hard of hearing can’t hear it.
Supplemental print materials inaccessible to blind/low vision students.
Closed or open captioning of broadcasts. (Deaf/HOH)
Use of Sign Language interpreter in small window on video screen. (Deaf/HOH)
Use of Sign Language interpreter in location of the student.
Supplemental print materials in appropriate alternate format.
Real-time descriptive narration of significant visual elements.
INTELECOM videos (precaptioned; can be embedded into online classes)
Captioning
YouTube & Google captioning
CaptionTube
Overstream (for videos you don’t have the rights to)
Solution(s)
Resources
C. Professional Development Resources for Designing Accessible Online
Courses
The High Tech Center Training Unit (HTCTU) of the California Community Colleges is a
state of the art training and support facility for community college faculty and staff
16
wishing to acquire or improve teaching skills, methodologies, and pedagogy in Assistive
Computer Technology, Alternate Media and Web Accessibility. While most trainings are
held at the Cupertino facility, HTCTU staff will visit colleges to provide on-site training.
Additionally, participants from a college’s DSPS unit are eligible for travel and lodging
reimbursement. For more information go to http://www.htctu.net/.
17
VIII. Online Student Services and Resources
A. Distance Learning Program Website
http://lacitycollege.edu/schedule/openclasses/distance_ed.html.
The Distance Learning Program's website provides access to a comprehensive
collection of online resources. The website meets the World Wide Web Consortium’s
(W3C) markup validation service requirements and complies with Section 508.
The site includes the latest course schedules and a directory of online student services
including:



















24/7 Online Student Help Desk
Etudes login instructions, video tutorials and FAQs
Information about how to enroll in and add courses
System requirements
Online Student Orientation
Schedules for online and hybrid courses
Access to the Online Writing Lab and online tutorial services
Pre-Assessment Questionnaire for new online students
Online Student Success video
A direct link to the College Bookstore website where students can access
information regarding required and recommended course materials and purchase
materials to be picked up on campus or shipped to their home or business
Online library services
Biographies, photos, and email addresses of online instructors
Instructor resources
College news and events
Link to the main college website
A Contact Us link
Electronic access to the library catalog
Remote access to periodical and research databases
24/7 online reference assistance
B. Assessment Services
http://lacitycollege.edu/services/matriculation/assessment.html




Scheduling assessment tests
Practice tests
Assessment testing schedule
Online orientation
C. Counseling Website
http://lacitycollege.edu/services/counsel/counsel.html
18










Counselors and their contact information
Hours, office location and FAQs
Live online chat
Online student transfer information system (ASSIST) link
Associate Degree checklist
California State University checklists
University of California General Education checklists
Counseling discussion board
DegreeWorks video tutorial
Access to DegreeWorks to monitor academic progress towards transfer, degree
and certificate completion and view Student Education Plans.
D. Transfer Program Website
http://lacitycollege.edu/services/transfer/transfer-general-info.html




Office location, hours and contact information
List of transfer services and requirements
Links to the Accelerated College Transfer (ACT) Program and the Transfers
Honors Program
Access to Transfer eChat, live chat with university representatives from
Brandman University, Pepperdine University, Regis University, UC Los Angeles,
UC Merced, CSU Dominguez Hills, CSU Los Angeles, CSU Northridge and many
more.
E. Financial Aid Website
http://lacitycollege.edu/services/finaid/financial-aid-info.html












Online application
Office location, hours and contact information
How to apply
Eligibility requirements
Types of aid
Scholarships
Board of Governors Grant (BOGG) fee waiver information
Student loans
How Financial Aid Works
Forms
Grant application deadlines
Daily financial aid news
F. Office of Special Services (Disabled Student Programs and Services)
http://www.lacitycollege.edu/services/oss/index.html

OSS Eligibility/Application for Services
19
 Eligibility & Intake
 Types of Services Offered
 Accommodation Services
 OSS Tutoring Services
 Learning Disabilities Services
 High Technology Center
 Alternate Text Production Center
 Specialized Counseling
 Sign Language Interpreting
Policies
 Distance Education Accommodations Procedures
 Distance Education FAQ
 Important Links
IX. Authentication and Verification of Student Identity
Los Angeles City College follows the Los Angeles Community College District
authentication process. The college will authenticate and verify that the student who
registers in a distance education course is the same student who participates in and
completes the course or program and receives the academic credit. (34 C.F.R. §
602.17.)
One or more of these methods will be used to authenticate or verify a student's identity:
a. Secure credentialing/login and password,or
b. Students access distance education courses using their unique ID and password,
or
c. Proctored examinations
20
Appendix A
Distance Education Course sites must meet Effective Level scores to meet Distance
Education Criteria. Distance Education Course Sites will be reviewed a semester before
the course is offered. Distance Education Course Sites will be reviewed every 3 years.
In order for a course to be offered as a part of the Los Angeles City College Distance
Education, it must meet established standards relating to course design, instruction, and
accessibility that are intended to promote a quality learning environment that conforms
to existing regulations. The rubric follows the exact specifications established by OEI
Prior to the submission of a course for Peer review, it is helpful for the faculty member
to review these guidelines and conduct a self-evaluation. The outcome of this selfevaluation is a component of the OEI Course Application process.
The Course Design Rubric for the Online Education Initiative consists of four
components:
1. Course Design
2. Interaction and Collaboration
3. Assessment
4. Learner Support
This rubric is designed to inform the work of reviewers for courses being taught in
connection with the California Community College Online Education Initiative. It is
informed by the National Standards for Quality Online Courses by the International
Association for K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL). After an initial round of course reviews,
the lead review team met with faculty at the OEI Professional Development summit and
discussed the strengths and weakness of the rubric. The lead review team then
provided recommendations to the OEI Steering Committee and Executive Team for
revising the rubric language and structure to enhance the review process.
Revisions approved by the Online Education Initiative Steering Committee for use
during the OEI pilot on March 18, 2015.
Course Design
21
Course Design addresses elements of instructional design. For the purpose of this
program, course design includes such elements as structure of the course, learning
objectives, organization of content, and instructional strategies.
Sub-category Distinguished to
Exemplary (5-6)
Satisfactory to
Accomplished (3-4)
Promising (2)
Incomplete (1)
1. Objectives Objectives are made
available in a variety
of areas in the course
(within the syllabus
and each individual
learning unit or
module)
Objectives are clearly
written at the
appropriate level and
reflect desired
outcomes
Objectives are written
in measurable
outcomes (students
know what they are
expected to be able to
do)
2. Content
Content is made
Presentation available or “chunked”
in manageable
segments (i.e.,
presented in distinct
learning units or
modules)
Navigation is intuitive
and content flows in a
logical progression
Content is presented
using a variety of
appropriate
mechanisms (content
modules, single
pages, links to
external resources,
and/or multimedia,
etc.)
CMS tools are used to
reduce the laborintensity of learning
(e.g., providing links to
needed resources
where they will be
used in the course,
integrating publisher
resources that are
tailored to the course
materials, and
Objectives are located
within the course
syllabus or the individual
learning units
Objectives are written to
reflect desired learning
outcomes, although not
all are written as
measurable outcomes
Students understand of
what is expected of
them
Objectives are not
easily located
within the course
Objectives are not
written at the
appropriate level to
match the desired
outcomes
Objectives are not
clearly written in
measurable
learning outcomes
Students may be
unsure of what they
are expected to be
able to do
Objectives are not
easily located
within the course
Some are missing
and others poorly
written
The level does not
match the desired
learning outcomes
Content is made
available or “chunked” in
manageable segments
(i.e., presented in
distinct learning units or
modules)
Navigation is somewhat
intuitive, but some
“exploring” is required to
determine the flow of
content
Content is presented
using a variety of
mechanisms (content
modules, single pages,
links to external
resources, RSS Feeds,
print material)
CMS tools are made
available to assist
students, but could be
organized or arranged
for even greater
usefulness
Clearly labeled tutorial
materials that explain
how to navigate the
CMS and the specific
course are included
Some content
segments are
overly large (or
possibly too small)
for the specified
objectives
Navigation is only
occasionally
intuitive, thus the
flow of content is
sometimes not
easily determined
The design does
not avail of the
content
presentation tools
(content modules,
single pages, links)
Only a few tools (of
those available
within the CMS) are
used in a way that
streamlines access
to materials and
activities for
students
Tutorial materials
that explain how to
navigate the CMS
and/or the specific
Content is not
“chunked” into
manageable
segments;
Navigation is not
intuitive and the
flow of content is
unclear
The design does
not avail of the
content
presentation tools
(content modules,
single pages,
links)
Tools that could
reduce the laborintensity of online
instruction are not
utilized
Tutorial materials
explaining how to
navigate the CMS
or the specific
course may be
included but are
difficult to find,
lack detail, are not
well organized, or
are incomplete
22
3. Learner
Engagement
providing streamlined
access to
supplementary
materials)
Clearly labeled tutorial
materials that explain
how to navigate the
CMS and the specific
course are included
It is clear how the
instructional strategies
will enable students to
reach course
objectives
Course design
includes guidance for
learners to work with
content in meaningful
ways
Individualized learning
opportunities, remedial
activities, or resources
for advanced learning
activities are provided
Tools available within
the course
management system
(CMS) are used to
facilitate learning by
engaging students
with course content
Technologies are used
creatively in ways that
transcend traditional,
teacher-centered
instruction
Learners have the
opportunity to give
anonymous feedback
to the instructor
regarding course
design and course
content both during
course delivery and
after course
completion
course may be
evident, but not
easily found
Instructional strategies
are designed to help
students to reach course
objectives, although this
relationship may not be
obvious to learners
Guidance is provided,
but could be improved
with greater detail or
depth
Individualized learning
opportunities (such as
remediation) may be
available on a limited
basis
Tools available within
the CMS could be
utilized more (or more
creatively) to engage
learners with course
content
Technologies within the
course are used in many
cases merely to
replicate traditional faceto-face instruction
Learners have the
opportunity to give
anonymous feedback to
the instructor regarding
course design and/or
course content, but only
after course completion
It is not clear how
the instructional
strategies will help
learners achieve
course objectives
Guidance in using
content materials
may only be
provided on a
limited basis
Individualized
learning
opportunities are
not provided,
although there may
be supplementary
content resources
available
Tools available
within the CMS are
not used to their full
extent or not used
when it would be
appropriate to do
so
Technologies within
the CMS are used
primarily by
instructors and not
students (“students
as recipients of
content” model)
Learners have the
opportunity to give
feedback to the
instructor regarding
course design or
course content, but
only after course
completion, or the
feedback is not
anonymous
Instructional
strategies do not
provide students
with skills needed
to achieve course
objectives
Content is
provided but it is
not clear what
students are
expected to do
with it
No supplementary
resources or
activities are
provided for
remediation or
advanced study
Technologies used
within the CMS do
not engage
students with
learning
Students are not
expected to use
technologies
available within
the CMS
Learners do not
have the
opportunity to give
feedback to the
instructor
regarding course
design or course
content
23
Interaction and Collaboration
Interaction and Collaboration can take many forms. These criteria place emphasis on
the type and amount of interaction and collaboration within an online environment.
“Interaction” denotes communication between and among learners and instructors,
synchronously or asynchronously. “Collaboration” is a subset of interaction and refers
specifically to those activities in which groups are working interdependently toward a
shared result. This differs from group activities that can be completed by students
working independently of one another and then combining the results, much as one
would when assembling a jigsaw puzzle with parts of the puzzle worked out separately
then assembled together. A learning community is defined here as the sense of
belonging to a group, rather than each student perceiving himself/herself studying
independently.
Sub-category
Distinguished to
Exemplary (5-6)
1.
Communication Contact information
Strategies
for the instructor is
easy to find and
includes multiple
forms of
communication (for
example, e-mail,
phone, chat, etc.)
Expected response
time for email replies
(or other
communication tool) is
included
The instructor’s role
within the course is
explained (for
example, instructor
participation in
discussions and
activities, role—if
any—in tech support,
etc.)
The instructor’s
methods of collecting
and returning work are
clearly explained
There are plentiful
opportunities for
interaction, as
appropriate
Communication
Satisfactory to
Accomplished (3-4)
Promising (2)
Incomplete (1)
Contact information for
the instructor is
included and contact
information includes
more than one type of
communication tool
Expected response
time for email replies is
included
Instructor’s role within
the course is clearly
spelled out to students
The instructor’s
methods of collecting
and returning work are
clearly explained
Several
communication are
included to reinforce
the desired learning
outcomes
Communications
sometimes require
reflection or other
higher order thinking
Interactions are
meaningful but may
not take full advantage
of the real-time
presence of instructor
and/or peers
Contact information
for the instructor is
provided but not
easy to find and
includes only one
way to reach the
instructor
Information
concerning
response time for
email replies is not
included
Little or no
information is given
regarding the
instructor’s role in
the course
The instructor’s
methods of
collecting and
returning work are
evident but not
clearly explained.
Communication
strategies are
included, however,
they may not
consistently
reinforce desired
learning outcomes
Communications
Contact
information for the
instructor is
sketchy, at best
Information
concerning
response time for
email replies is not
included
Information
regarding the
instructor’s role in
the course is not
included
Instructor’s
methods of
collecting and
returning work are
confusing or nonexistent.
Little to no
attention has been
devoted to
communication
strategies
Interaction
activities that are
included do not
invoke critical
thinking, reinforce
learning, or take
24
2.
Development
of Learning
Community
strategies promote
critical thinking or
other higher order
thinking aligned with
learning objectives
Communication
activities benefit from
timely interactions and
facilitate “rapid
response”
communication (i.e.,
students gain practice
discussing course
content
extemporaneously
without looking up
basic, declarative
information)
Instructors have a
plan for initiating
contact prior to or at
the beginning of
class and at regular
intervals during the
course duration
Communication
activities are designed
to help build a sense
of community among
learners
Student-to-student
interactions are
required as part of the
course Students are
encouraged to initiate
communication with
the instructor
Collaboration activities
(if included) reinforce
course content and
learning outcomes,
while building
workplace-useful skills
such as teamwork,
cooperation,
negotiation, and
consensus-building
Communication
activities may help
learners build a sense
of community, but do
not appear to be
designed with this in
mind
Some student-tostudent interaction is
built into the course
Students interact with
the instructor, although
primarily as a result of
instructor-initiated
contact
Collaboration activities
(if included) support
some team-building
skills, but may not
purposefully integrate
these elements
are focused
primarily on lower
levels of thinking
(e.g., summarizing,
describing,
interpreting, etc.)
Interactions are
used mostly for
instructor
explanation or
clarification of
content, or other
instructor-focused
activities
advantage of the
specific strengths
of the
communication
tools used
Effort has been
devoted to
fostering a sense
of community in the
course, but only
minimally
More focus is
needed on
designing activities
and a course
climate that foster
student-to-student
interactions as well
as student-toinstructor
interactions
Little to no
attention has been
devoted to building
a sense of
community in this
course
25
3. Interaction
Logistics
Guidelines explaining
required levels of
participation (i.e.,
quantity of
interactions) are
provided
Expectations
regarding the quality
of communications
(e.g., what constitutes
a “good” answer) are
clearly defined
A rubric or equivalent
grading document is
included to explain
how participation will
be evaluated
The instructor plans to
participate actively in
communication
activities, including
providing feedback to
students
The instructor plans to
use communication
tools effectively to
provide course
updates, reminders,
special
announcements, etc.
Expectations of
student participation in
communication
activities are given, but
would benefit from
more detail
Expectations regarding
the quality of
communications are
included, but may be
sketchy and lack detail
or illustrative examples
Minimal information
may be provided
regarding grading
criteria for
communications
activities
The instructor is
occasionally involved
in communication
activities
The instructor
sometimes takes
advantage of CMS
tools to post
announcements,
reminders, etc.
Instructor
expectations of
student interactions
are not made clear
Little information is
provided regarding
what constitutes a
“good” response or
posting
Students are not
given a clear set of
criteria for how
communications
activities will be
graded
The instructor
appears to be
largely absent from
communication
activities
Few
announcements,
reminders, or other
updates are
provided
Few or no
guidelines are
provided to
students regarding
the desired
quantity or quality
of
communications/
interactions within
the course
The instructor
does not
participate in
communications
activities with
students
The instructor
does not provide
announcements,
reminders, or other
updates
Assessment
Assessment focuses on instructional activities designed to measure progress towards
learning outcomes, provide feedback to students and instructor, and/or enable grade
assignment. This section addresses the quality and type of student assessments within
the course.
Subcategory
Distinguished to
Exemplary (5-6)
Satisfactory to
Accomplished (3-4)
Promising (2)
Incomplete (1)
26
1.
Expectations
2.
Assessment
Design
Assessments match
the objectives
Learners are directed
to the appropriate
objective(s) for each
assessment
Rubrics or descriptive
criteria for desired
outcomes are provided
(models of “good
work” may be shown,
for example)
Instructions are written
clearly and with
sufficient detail to
ensure understanding
Assessment activities
have “face validity”
(i.e., they appear to
match the curriculum
and are explained
using appropriate
reading level and
vocabulary)
Higher order thinking
is required (e.g.,
analysis, problemsolving, etc.)
Assessments are
designed to mimic
authentic
environments to
facilitate transfer
Assessment activities
occur frequently
throughout the
duration of the course,
and the instructor
provides meaningful
feedback in a timely
manner
Multiple types of
assessments are used
(research project,
objective test,
discussions, etc.)
Opportunities for
student selfassessment are
plentiful, and provide
feedback that allows
students to seek
additional help when
necessary
Assessments match the
objectives
Rubrics or descriptive
criteria for desired
outcomes are included
for some assessment
activities
Instructions are written
clearly, with some detail
included
Students are
assessed on the
topics described in
the objectives
There may be some
explanation of how
assessments will be
scored/ graded,
however,
instructions lack
detail that would
help students
understand how to
complete the
assessments
Assessments
bear little
resemblance to
objectives
Expectations or
grading criteria
are not provided
Instructions are
limited or absent
Assessment activities
have “face validity” (i.e.,
they appear to match the
curriculum)
Some activities involve
higher order thinking
Assessment activities
may focus on tasks
similar to real-world
application of skills
Multiple assessments are
included; at least three
different types of
assessments are used
Opportunities for student
self-assessment are
present, and provide
feedback that allows
students to seek
additional help
It is not clear
whether the
assessment
activities actually
measure the
desired skill
The vast majority of
assessments
require only lowlevel thinking
(memorization, for
example)
Assessment
activities typically
do not include tasks
that are relevant
beyond the scope
of this course
Two types of
assessments are
included, at a
minimum
Opportunities for
student selfassessment are
present, but it may
not be evident to
the student how
they should use the
results
Assessment
activities appear
to lack validity
due to bias, lack
of clarity in
questions or
tasks, or because
students are
evaluated on
performance
unrelated to the
stated objectives
No higher-order
thinking skills are
required to
complete
assessment
activities
There is little or
no evidence of
authenticity built
into assessments
Assessments are
too few and far
apart for the
course content
Students are not
provided activities
or resources for
self-assessment
27
Learner Support
Learner Support addresses the support resources made available to students taking the
course. Such resources may be accessible within or external to the course environment.
Specifically, learner support resources address a variety of student services.
Sub-category
1. Supplemental
Software
Distinguished to
Exemplary (5-6)
Clear explanations
of optional and/or
required software
It is permissible
including any
to award this sub- additional costs are
category a 6 if the provided within the
course does not course
require software Software required to
beyond the CMS use course
and browser.
materials is listed
with links to where it
can be captured
and installed
Links are located
within the course
where learners will
use the software
(i.e., near the
materials requiring
its use)
Satisfactory to
Accomplished (3-4)
Promising (2)
Incomplete (1)
Clear explanations of
optional and/or
required software (in
addition to the CMS)
are provided within
the course
Software required to
use course materials
is listed but links to
where it can be
captured and installed
are not found near
where it will be used
Software (in
addition to the
CMS) required to
use course
materials is
mentioned, but not
explained
Links to where it
can be captured
and installed are
provided, although
they may not be
conveniently
located
The need for
additional software
required to use
course materials
may be mentioned
Links to software
may be missing or
incomplete
28
2. Course/
Institutional
Policies &
Support
Software used for
the course is
adequately
supported by the
institution, including
information for
students on where
they can obtain help
All activities that
might create
educational records
(as defined by the
Family Educational
Records Privacy
Act) or that involve
regular effective
contact are
conducted within
district- or collegesupported systems
Links to institutional
policies, materials,
and forms relevant
for learner success
(for example,
plagiarism policies)
are clearly labeled
and easy to find
Links allow easy
navigation from the
course to the
information and
back;
course/instructor
policies regarding
decorum, behavior,
and netiquette are
easy to find and
written clearly to
avoid confusion
Links to institutional
services such as
the library, or writing
center, are clearly
labeled and easy to
find
Links to institutional
policies, materials,
and forms relevant for
learner success (for
example, plagiarism
policies) are included
but may require
searching to find; inks
allow easy navigation
from the course to the
information and back
Course/instructor
policies regarding
decorum, behavior,
and netiquette are
included and are
written clearly to avoid
confusion
Links to institutional
services such as the
library, writing center,
or financial aid office
may be included but
require searching to
find
Links to some
institutional
policies, materials,
and forms relevant
for learner success
(for example,
plagiarism policies)
are included but are
difficult to find
Course/instructor
policies regarding
decorum, behavior,
and netiquette are
included but are not
clearly written or
would benefit from
more detail
A few links to
institutional
services such as
the library, writing
center, or financial
aid office may be
included but require
searching to find
Links to some
institutional
policies, materials,
and forms relevant
for learner success
(for example,
plagiarism policies)
are not included
Some
course/instructor
policies regarding
decorum, behavior,
and netiquette may
be included but are
not clearly written
or would benefit
from more detail
Links to institutional
services such as
the library, writing
center, or financial
aid office are not
included
29
3. Technical
Accessibility
Course materials
are compliant with
Section 508 and
This sub-category WCAG 2.0 (AA) and
will not be
can be effectively
reviewed by the
used with equal
peer online
ease by all
course reviewers; students
it will instead be
All non-text
reviewed by
communications
accessibility
technologies
specialists as part support multiple
of the initial
digital channels with
review process.
automatic provision
of alternate media
accommodations in
real time
Course materials
are HTML-based
and employ
formatting styles to
create semantic
structure that
facilitates consistent
meaning and
sequencing across
all digital media
types
All instructional
materials can be
opened via free and
accessible
programs or
applications, and
links are provided
for students to
download the
application with
supporting
information on how
to use the program
or application
Quiz and
assessment
activities can be
completed with
equal ease via the
keyboard and
assistive
technologies
without adding
cognitive load, and
provide individual
student-based
parameters for time,
number of attempts,
Course materials are
compliant with
Section 508 and
WCAG 2.0 (AA).
All non-text
communications
technologies support
multiple digital
channels for the
provision of alternate
media
accommodations in
real time.
Course materials
employ formatting
styles to create
semantic structure
that allows for
consistent meaning
and sequencing
across all digital
media types
All instructional
materials can be
opened via free and
accessible programs
or applications
Quiz and assessment
activities can be
completed with equal
ease via the keyboard
and assistive
technologies without
adding cognitive load
Course materials
fail to meet all
Section 508 and
WCAG 2.0 (AA)
criteria completely
Some non-text
communications
technologies
support limited
means for the
provision of
alternate media
accommodations
Course materials
employ some
formatting styles to
create semantic
structure but fail to
provide reliable and
consistent meaning
and sequencing
across all digital
media types
Most instructional
materials can be
opened via free and
accessible
programs or
applications
Most quiz and
assessment
activities can be
completed with
equal ease via the
keyboard and
assistive
technologies
without adding
cognitive load
Course materials
are significantly
non-compliant with
Section 508 and
WCAG or add
cognitive load via
inadequate
accessibility
supports
Non-text
communications
technologies do not
support multiple
digital channels for
the provision of
alternate media
accommodations
Course materials
do not employ
formatting styles to
create semantic
structure, nor
consistent meaning
and sequencing
across digital
media types
Instructional
materials use
proprietary and
inaccessible media
formats
Quiz and
assessment
activities can not
be completed with
the keyboard or
assistive
technologies,
and/or extra
cognitive load is
introduced through
inadequate
accessibility
supports
30
feedback, and
completion
31
4.
There are no
Accommodations pedagogicallyfor Disabilities
essential learning
activities or
This sub-category instructional media
will not be
that are inherently
reviewed by the
inaccessible, or in
peer online
the presence of
course reviewers; such inaccessible
it will instead be
materials, a DSPS
reviewed by
approved plan for
accessibility
accommodation is
specialists as part in place and ready
of the initial
to be provided as
review process.
necessary for each
inaccessible
learning activity or
instructional media
Course CMS
settings are
configurable by
faculty to allow
individual studentbased
accommodations to
be provided within
the CMS
Links to CMS
technical support as
well as contact
information for
DSPS support are
consistently
provided and easy
to find, and
accompanied by a
module within the
CMS explaining
how to request
services or report a
problem
An instructional
material inventory of
any inherently
inaccessible
learning objects is
provided, and
referenced to the
accompanying
course outline with
plans for
accommodating
students with
disabilities for each
inaccessible
learning object or
There are no
pedagogicallyessential learning
activities or
instructional media
that are inherently
inaccessible, or in the
presence of such
inaccessible
materials, faculty and
DSPS have agreed to
work with OEI to
formulate an
acceptable plan of
accommodation for
each inaccessible
learning activity or
instructional media
Course CMS settings
can be configured in a
timely manner (24
hours) by faculty
and/or the CMS
System Administrator
to allow student
accommodations to
be provided within the
CMS, or alternate
plans for
accommodation have
been created and
approved by DSPS
Links to CMS
technical support and
DSPS support are
provided, and easy to
find
An instructional
material inventory of
any inherently
inaccessible learning
objects is provided,
along with some
potential
accommodations for
each learning object
or activity
There are
pedagogicallyessential learning
activities or
instructional media
that might be
inherently
inaccessible, but a
deeper assessment
of the course and
institutional
resources is
required to
determine the
ability to support
accommodations
Some of the CMS
settings can be
configured by
faculty or CMS
System
Administrator to
allow student
accommodations to
be provided within
the CMS
CMS technical
support is provided,
or a link to DSPS
department web
page, but not
always easy to find
An instructional
material inventory
of any inherently
inaccessible
learning objects is
provided
There may be
learning activities
or instructional
media that are
inherently
inaccessible, or
there is no DSPS
approved plan for
accommodation.
CMS settings
cannot be
configured to allow
student
accommodations to
be provided within
the CMS.
CMS settings are
not configurable to
allow for student
accommodations
No link to technical
support or DSPS
department is
provided
Inherently
inaccessible
learning objects
have not been
identified, and no
accommodations
have been
conceived or
approved
32
activity
33
Appendix B
LACCD Online Absentee Policy
1. Title 5 - 55204. Instructor Contact.
. . . district governing boards shall ensure that:
(a) All approved courses offered as distance education shall include regular
effective contact between instructor and students, through group or individual
meetings, orientation and review sessions, supplemental seminar or study
sessions, field trips, library workshops, telephone contact, correspondence, voice
mail, e-mail, or other activities.
(b) All distance education courses shall be delivered consistent with guidelines
issued by the Chancellor pursuant to Section 409 of the Procedures and
Standing Orders of the Board of Governors. Regular effective contact is an
academic and professional matter pursuant to Title 5 '53200.
2. Absence of regular meaningful contact can be considered an "absence."
Definition is valid for both students and faculty.
3. When students complain of lack of contact / response from instructor, the
Division Chair or Department Head needs to be notified and he/she needs to
investigate the situation. The instructor can be asked to provide documentation of
instructor/student interaction to determine the amount, the regularity, and the
type of meaningful contact that took place.
4. It is recommended that the Distance Education (DE) instructor define in his/her
syllabus what constitutes an “absence” in the class and the policy for being
dropped due to absences. When a student has multiple absences, the instructor
can drop the student from the class in the same way the student would be
dropped from a class that meets on campus due to excessive absences.
5. Multiple complaints regarding lack of regular meaningful contact should be
forwarded to the appropriate Department Chair or Dean. If there is substantial
evidence of multiple “absences” and lack of meaningful contact, the instructor
can be removed from the list of approved distance education instructors.
34
Appendix C
Regular Effective Contact Policy
Regulations:
Title 5 and the Distance Education Guidelines for the California Community Colleges
state:
55200. Definition and Application.
Distance education means instruction in which the instructor and student are
separated by distance and interact through the assistance of communication
technology. All distance education is subject to the general requirements of this
chapter as well as the specific requirements of this article. In addition,
instruction provided as distance education is subject to the requirements that
may be imposed by the Americans with Disabilities Act (42 U.S.C. §12100 et
seq.) and section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, (29 U.S.C.
§794d).
Guideline for Section 55202
This section emphasizes the extent to which course quality depends upon the full
involvement of faculty in the design and application of DE courses. It discusses course
quality standards for distance education and combines language formerly found in
sections 55207 and 55209 which it replaces. Language is added to clarify that normal
course quality standards apply to any portion of a course conducted through distance
education.
55202. Course Quality Standards.
The same standards of course quality shall be applied to any portion of a course
conducted through distance education as are applied to traditional classroom
courses, in regard to the course quality judgment made pursuant to the requirements of
section 55002, and in regard to any local course quality determination or review
process. Determinations and judgments about the quality of distance education under
the course quality standards shall be made with the full involvement of faculty in
accordance with the provisions of subchapter 2 (commencing with section 53200) of
chapter 2.
NOTE: Authority cited: Section 66700 and 70901, Education Code. References:
Sections 70901 and 70902, Education Code.
Guideline for Section 55202
This section emphasizes the extent to which course quality depends upon the full
involvement of faculty in the design and application of DE courses. It discusses course
quality standards for distance education and combines language formerly found in
sections 55207 and 55209 which it replaces. Language is added to clarify that normal
course quality standards apply to any portion of a course conducted through distance
education.
35
55204. Instructor Contact.
In addition to the requirements of section 55002 and any locally established
requirements applicable to all courses, district governing boards shall ensure that:
(a)
Any portion of a course conducted through distance education includes regular
effective contact between instructor and students, through group or individual meetings,
orientation and review sessions, supplemental seminar or study sessions, field trips,
library workshops, telephone contact, correspondence, voicemail, e-mail, or other
activities. Regular effective contact is an academic and professional matter pursuant to
sections 53200 et seq.
(b)
Any portion of a course provided through distance education is conducted
consistent with guidelines issued by the Chancellor pursuant to section 409 of the
Procedures and Standing Orders of the Board of Governors.
NOTE: Authority cited: Sections 66700 and 70901, Education Code. Reference:
Sections 70901 and 70902, Education Code.
Guideline for Section 55204
This section defines what contact must be maintained between instructor and student. It
is virtually identical to section 55211 which it replaces, except that language has been
added to clarify that rules related to conduct of distance education and effective
instructor contact apply to any portion of a course conducted through distance
education.
Subdivision (a) stresses the responsibility of the instructor in a DE course to initiate
regular contact with enrolled students to verify their participation and performance status.
The use of the term "regular effective contact" in this context suggests that students
should have frequent opportunities to ask questions and receive answers from the
instructor of record.
The last published Distance Education Guidelines, August 15, 2008, issued by the
Chancellor pursuant to section 409 of the Procedures and Standing Orders of the Board
of Governors, as referenced in subdivision (b), establishes the principle that for DE
courses there are a number of acceptable interactions between instructor and student,
not all of which may require in-person contact. Thus, districts and/or colleges will need
to define "effective contact" including how often, and in what manner instructor-student
interaction is achieved. It is important to document regular effective contact and how it is
achieved. Since regular effective contact was declared an academic and professional
matter, this documentation must include demonstration of collegial consultation with the
academic senate, for example through its delegation to the local curriculum committee.
A natural place for this to occur is during the separate course approval process (see
section 55206) as well as during faculty evaluations, student surveys, and program
review.
36
Documentation should consist of the inclusion of information in applicable
outlines of record on the type and frequency of interaction appropriate to each DE
course/section or session. Local policies should establish and monitor minimum
standards of regular effective contact.
Background:
In hybrid or fully online courses, ensuring Regular Effective Instructor/Student
Contact guarantees that the student receives the benefit of the instructor's presence in
the learning environment both as a provider of instructional information and as a
facilitator of student learning. In a face-to-face course the instructor is present at each
class meeting and interacts via all class announcements, lectures, activities and
discussions that take a variety of forms. For example, discussions can be held as part of
a lecture format, group work scenarios, or content review sessions. The instructor also
serves as a content advisor when he or she answers questions both as they come up in
class and as they arise in individual situations. These types of questions are dealt with
via the telephone, email, or face-to-face office visits.
Title 5 regulations do not make a distinction between regular and distance education
courses beyond the need to have a separate curriculum approval process and the need
to ensure regular effective contact. The guidelines do say that quality assurances within
the regulations apply to all DE courses, which include hybrid courses. Therefore, it is
assumed that those qualities of regular effective contact described above for the face-toface environment, should also be applied to the distance education situation. The DE
Guidelines require colleges to develop a policy regarding regular effective contact that
addresses "the type and frequency of interaction appropriate to each DE course/section
or session".
Los Angeles City College Regular Effective Contact Policy:
All DE courses at LACC, whether hybrid or fully online will include regular effective
contact as described below:
Initiated interaction:
Instructors will regularly initiate interaction with students to determine that they are
accessing and comprehending course material and that they are participating regularly
in the activities in the course. Opportunities that relate to the content of the course
should include those in which students interact with instructors, instructors to interact
with students, and students to interact with each other. Providing students with an openended question forum, although required, does not constitute the entirety of effective
instructor initiated interaction. In addition to open-ended question forums, utilizing CMS
blogs, journals, LACC email, and collaboration chat tools are appropriate to engage
instructor and student interaction. Furthermore, implementing web 2.0 tools into course
activities (i.e. VoiceThread, Twitter, Facebook, etc.) are also appropriate tools to create
interaction. Some web 2.0 tools can be brought into the CMS and some can be linked
from the CMS. Instructor prepared content (written, recorded,
37
broadcast, etc.) combined with other course materials, creates the "virtual
equivalent" of the face-to-face class and must be included in your course.
Frequency:
DE Courses are considered the "virtual equivalent" to face-to-face courses. Therefore,
the frequency of the contact will be at least the same as would be established in a
regular, face-to-face course. At the very least, the number of instructor contact hours per
week that would be available for face-to-face students, will also be available, in
asynchronous and/or synchronous mode, with students in the DE format. Given the
nature of asynchronous instructional methodologies, contact shall be distributed in a
manner that will ensure that regular contact is maintained over the course of a week and
should occur as often as is appropriate for the course.
Faculty office hours are not included as fulfilling the regular effective contact
requirement and are a separate requirement..
Establishing expectations and managing unexpected instructor absence:
An instructor and/or department established policy describing the frequency and
timeliness of instructor initiated contact and instructor feedback will be posted in
the syllabus and/or other course documents that are made available for students
when the course officially opens each semester. If the instructor must be out of
contact briefly for an unexpected reason (such as illness or a family emergency
that takes the instructor offline), notification to students will be made in the
announcements area of the course that includes when the students can expect
regular effective contact to resume. If the offline time results in a lengthy absence (i.e.
more than three or four days) a substitute instructor should be sought who can assist
students while the instructor is unavailable.
Type of Contact:
Regarding the type of contact that will exist in all LACC DE courses, instructors will, at a
minimum, use the following resources to initiate contact with students:
1. Threaded discussion forums within the course management system, with
appropriate instructor participation. ("Questions for the instructor" forums are
good but should be used in conjunction with other forums.)
2. Etudes or LACC email
3. Weekly announcements in the Course Management System
4. Timely feedback for student work.
Suggestions:
Instructors should also choose to use other forms of communication, as mentioned in
section 55204 of Title 5. ("...through group or individual meetings, orientation and review
sessions, supplemental seminar or study sessions, field trips, library workshops,
telephone contact, correspondence, voice mail, e-mail, or other activities.") and/or
CCCConfer, video conference, pod cast, or other synchronous technologies may also be
38
included. CCCConfer is a web conferencing tool that is free to the California Community
College System, http://www.cccconfer.org.
It is suggested that instructors have a threaded discussion that is set aside for
general questions about the course and may wish to have weekly or other
timely, question and answer sessions available to students. This may be
accomplished through virtual office hours.
It is recommended that Instructors engage students with web 2.0 tools and
applications such as although not limited to VoiceThread, Twitter,
Facebook, Polleverywhere, Doodle, Animoto, Prezi, Glogster,
GoogleDocs, Wordle, Bitstrips etc.
A suggested approach for DE instructors to stay current with new and
emerging technology is to subscribe to SSE feeds such as although, not
limited to Edudemic, wix, MindShift, TED, Mashable, Online Teaching
39
Appendix D
Last Date of Attendance Drop Policy — Federal Guidelines
Policy Guidelines
The Federal government has not issued formal guidelines regarding what constitutes
the “Last Day of Attendance” in the online classroom. However, because of the potential
for financial aid fraud in online programs, the US Department of Education has recently
determined that there should be “regular and substantive interaction between students
and faculty” in online courses.
What this means for Distance Education?
It is not enough to evaluate a student’s attendance based solely on the number and
frequency of logins or through course statistics on the CMS. The new guidelines are
meant to protect the institution from students who are receiving financial aid assistance
but who are not participating in class.
Although guidelines have yet to be created, instructors must drop students based on
their participation in class. ‘Attendance’ (through logins) is not the same as participation.
Participation means actively completing course activities in the CMS such as
assignments, assessments, posting on discussion forums, etc. Participation policies
must be clarified in the online syllabus.
Individual Course Drop Policy
The College’s drop policy is quite clear for face-to-face instruction, but less so for online
and hybrid courses. Because of this, it is important to clarify what constitutes the ‘first
day of class’.
Establishing a drop policy
Create a course Check-In Assignment, such as a discussion forum, an introductory
email students send to the class, or a self-assessment. Simply having the student login
for the first day of class is not enough. New Federal guidelines to prevent financial aid
fraud state that student logins no longer count as participation.
State the last day for Check-In to occur. For example – the second or third day after the
course begins.
Require students to complete ALL assignments in the first learning unit by the due date.
Be specific as to the exact day, date and time of your drop deadline. Include time zone
information (eg. PST/EST) so that there is minimal confusion for students.
If a student has not checked-in, it is best to send an email before the drop deadline to
inform them that they are in danger of being dropped if they do not respond by the
deadline.
40
Appendix E
OSS Accommodations Procedures
and Syllabus Statement for Distance Education
Recommended OSS syllabus statement for distance education and ITV classes:
Any student who feels she/he may need an academic accommodation based on the
impact of a disability can contact the Office of Special Services (OSS) at 323-953-4000,
ext. 2270 or visit OSS in Room 100 of the Student Services Village. Students may also
refer to the Distance Education FAQ for Students with Disabilities and the Online
Accommodation Procedures on the OSS webpage.
http://www.lacitycollege.edu/services/oss/index.html
OSS Distance Education Accommodations Procedures:
1. LACC Students with disabilities requesting accommodations should be referred
to the Office of Special Services, Student Services Village, Room 100, 323-9534000, ext. 2276 http://www.lacitycollege.edu/services/oss/index.html
2. Please complete the OSS application and submit it with appropriate disability
verification documents (from a psychologist, psychiatrist, medical doctor, LD
specialist, etc.) that state the student’s diagnosis and relevant information.
Documents must include the professional’s contact information, signature and
state license number.
3. In addition, please complete the OSS student online orientation as well as the
questionnaire and submit it with the application.
4. The completed application package can be emailed to: oss@lacitycollege.edu
or sent by mail to: Attention: OSS Intake, Office of Special Services, Los Angeles
City College, SSV 100, 855 North Vermont Avenue, LA, CA 90029.
5. After the completed OSS application is submitted, students must make an
appointment (by phone or in person) with an OSS Counselor or Learning
Disability Specialist for intake processing and a Student Education Contract (to
determine educational limitations and appropriate accommodations).
6. Students will receive an Academic Accommodation Authorization (AAA) letter
that must be signed by the instructor and returned to Accommodation Services in
the OSS.
7. The AAA authorizes students to receive accommodations including alternate
media and, if appropriate, to make appointments to take their exams at OSS. An
AAA must be generated for each course taken, each semester of attendance.
8. For more information, please refer to the OSS website
http://www.lacitycollege.edu/services/oss/index.html
and/or contact OSS at 323-953-4000, ext. 2270
41
Appendix F
Distance Education Evaluation
Distance Education at Los Angeles City College centers on developing a DE Program
that focuses on instruction, delivery, completion, and student success. Evaluation of
Distance Education insures that the program meets the College’s Mission Statement,
and Objectives.
The following areas will be Evaluated every three years by the Distance Education
Subcommittee or appointed body:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Purpose, the program goal and specific objectives
Course Sites, to meet State and Federal Guidelines
Student Success, examine Student Success Rates
Student DE Evaluation, attitude survey of students in DE courses
Faculty DE Evaluation, survey of DE instructors
Student Learning Outcomes, DE versus Regular
Student Services, use of online students services
Distance Education self evaluation
The Evaluation follows the recommended Standards as provided by the ACCJC.
Standard I: Institutional Mission and Effectiveness
Standard II: Student Learning Programs and Services
Standard III: Resources
Standard IV: Leadership and Governance
42
Appendix H
Course Design Evaluation Calendar
First time DE Courses must be reviewed in a timely matter to accommodate Deans,
Chairs, and Faculty scheduling deadlines. DE Courses must be reviewed and approved
by the DE Committee prior to scheduling deadlines for the up coming semester or
intercession.
Deadlines for Reviews Prior to Semester or Intersession
Fall Semester– Course Approval DE Meeting in February
Spring Semester – Course Approval DE Meeting in September
Winter Intersession – Course Approval DE Meeting in September
Summer Intersession – Course Approval DE Meeting in February