Classes Without Walls:
ACCESS Distance Learning
Works for Alabama
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Alabama Policy Institute
Classes Without Walls:
ACCESS Distance Learning
Works for Alabama
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Alabama Policy Institute
TABLE OF CONTENTS
The Challenge of Distance Learning in Alabama
1
ACCESS: Alabama’s Distance Learning Solution
1
ACCESS Technology
2
ACCESS Utilization in Alabama
3
Measuring the Success of ACCESS
5
Ongoing Challenges Facing ACCESS
6
Conclusion
9
Appendix A: Web-Based Course Offerings for ACCESS Distance Learning, 2011-2012
11
Appendix B: Most Commonly Taken ACCESS Distance Learning Courses, by Population Area, 2010-11
15
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Classes Without Walls: ACCESS Distance Learning Works for Alabama
Alabama Policy Institute
Classes Without Walls: ACCESS Distance Learning Works for Alabama
The Challenge of Distance
Learning in Alabama
The Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE)
has continually faced the challenge of providing high
school students in rural areas with an adequate education
designed to equip them for the rigors of college and the
global workforce. In 2003, almost 32 percent of Alabama’s
public school students attended rural schools, many
of which were small and in impoverished areas. Their
diminished budgets and distance from urban areas often
prevented these schools from being able to attract and
ultimately hire teachers needed to expand course offerings
or provide other specialized training. In the same way,
limited education funding hindered access to technological
resources that students could otherwise have used to
improve their workforce skills.1
Many of these schools were also unable to provide a
comprehensive curriculum that could offer the courses
necessary for an advanced high school diploma. In
2003—before the implementation of Alabama
Connecting Classrooms, Educators, & Students Statewide
(ACCESS)—99 Advanced Placement (AP) exams were
given in Alabama for every 1,000 juniors and seniors, the
third lowest rate in the South.2
Alabama looked to other states and concluded that distance
learning offerings could be part of the solution to many
of these problems. In short, distance learning creates a
learning environment by incorporating technology and
internet access into educational offerings, in and out of
the traditional classroom setting. These courses typically
include web-based classes, interactive video conferencing
(IVC), or a blend of both.
Prior to the deployment of ACCESS, Alabama already had
a dozen distance learning initiatives across the state, but
most were either online classroom resources, technology
training sites for teachers and administrators, or fixed sites
for video conferencing. Only two—the Alabama Online
1Governor’s Task Force on Distance Learning, State of
Alabama, A Plan for Distance Learning, Nov. 1, 2004. http://
accessdl.state.al.us/accessplan.pdf.
2Id.
www.alabamapolicy.org
1
High School, and the Southeast Alabama Technology
Network—were bona fide, student-centered distance
learning programs. These resources were not interconnected
or centrally coordinated, nor did they operate under a
standardized format.3
ACCESS: Alabama’s Distance
Learning Solution
Governor Bob Riley’s Task Force on Distance Learning
addressed these problems with the creation of ACCESS
in 2004. By blending traditional classroom teaching with
the Internet and videoconferencing technology, ACCESS
gives students, particularly those in underserved districts,
academic opportunities they would not have otherwise.
ACCESS allows students to take AP courses, earn
advanced diplomas, learn foreign languages, and take
electives that their local school does not offer. Because
research conducted in other states has shown that courses
using a blend of web-based and IVC platforms have the
potential to be the most effective form of distance learning,
ACCESS offers courses incorporating both.4
The program, which is supervised and coordinated from
Montgomery, has three regional support centers to hire,
train, evaluate, and support ACCESS teachers. The centers
for the northern, central, and southern thirds of the state
are located in Madison, Tuscaloosa, and Troy, respectively.
Teachers are also able to use the program to receive
professional development without leaving their school.5
The initial ACCESS program for the 2005-06 fiscal year
cost taxpayers approximately $10.3 million, with most
of these funds going to provide the necessary technical
equipment and coursework for up to 6,000 students in
3Id.
4 International Society for Technology in Education,
External Evaluation of the Alabama ACCESS
Initiative: Phase 3 Report, Mar. 1, 2007. http://accessdl.
state.al.us/2006Evaluation.pdf.
5ACCESS Distance Learning, Alabama State
Department of Education, ACCESS Distance Learning
Support Center Regions. http://accessdl.state.al.us/access_map.pdf
(last visited Dec. 19, 2011).
2
Classes Without Walls: ACCESS Distance Learning Works for Alabama
more than 300 schools.6 Since then, the ACCESS budget
has fluctuated between $10.3 million and 22.8 million, and
was $18.1 million during the 2009-10 school year.7
classrooms.11 At the time of the last installations, the cost
of the physical equipment was $85,000 per school, not
including training and support.12
At the inception of ACCESS, 22 courses were available,
with the understanding that more would be offered,
depending upon demand and curriculum needs.8 In its
first semester of operation in the fall of 2005, ACCESS
had an enrollment of 489 students spread across several
dozen schools. This number grew to 1,075 students in the
spring of 2006, and in the summer of 2006, 913 students
were enrolled.9
To develop courses, ACCESS either contracts with instate teachers to create content or purchases off-the-shelf
from vendors. In the latter case, it also acquires the rights
to modify the material, giving the state full ownership of
the coursework.13
During the 2006-07 school year, the first online AP courses
were provided to qualifying students, and the Advanced
Diploma option became available to all public high school
students in the state. In the fall semester of 2006, 3,098
students were enrolled in ACCESS courses.10
ACCESS Technology
In Alabama, ACCESS uses a variety of distance learning
equipment. The typical ACCESS classroom contains
computer cameras, monitors and/or projectors for viewing
content and teachers, interactive whiteboards, wireless
routers, and a minimum of 25 tablet computers. In addition,
instructors, administrators and other school personnel
are given specialized training to manage ACCESS
6ACCESS Distance Learning, Alabama State
Department of Education, ACCESS: A Plan for Continued
Excellence, 2011-2016, Jan. 2011. http://accessdl.state.al.us/
Documents/NewPlan/ACCESSPlanFinalJan2011.pdf (last
visited Dec. 19, 2011).
7Talbot Bielefeldt, M. D. Roblyer & Brandon Olszewski,
Alabama Connecting Classrooms, Educators, & Students Statewide
(ACCESS): Year Four Evaluation Report. International
Society for Technology in Education, Oct. 7, 2010. http://
accessdl.state.al.us/documents/ACCESSEvaluationYear4.pdf.
8ACCESS Distance Learning, Alabama State
Department of Education, ACCESS Distance Learning—
Making a Difference in Alabama Schools. Email from Earlene
Patton, ACCESS Program Administrator (Aug. 24, 2011) (on
file with author).
9Id.
10Id.
Distance learning courses in Alabama are typically taught
in one or both of the following formats: synchronous and
asynchronous. Courses with synchronous content typically
use IVC, while asynchronous courses use web-based
content. The following paragraphs from the November
2004 report by the Governor’s Task Force on Distance
Learning describe the strengths of both of these formats:
The highly structured learning environment and
the teaching-by-telling method make interactive
synchronous learning good for reinforcing knowledge or
for speedy correction of misunderstandings. Group-based
synchronous classes enable instructors to pace learning
activities consistently and they may improve motivation
in some learners through the use of familiar teaching
methods. It is particularly appropriate when learners and
instructors in different locations need to work together
or conduct discussions within a fixed period of time.
Learners have the added benefit of being part of a social
environment. Learners are required to take notes and
recall points from the lecture and discussion and must
process and understand the presentations and discussions
as they happen.
Asynchronous systems are heavily reliant on print
and text and are good for conveying large quantities
of information. Learners have a more flexible and
convenient approach to learning at a time and place best
suited to their needs. Asynchronous course work requires
more self-discipline from the learner to participate and
11ACCESS Distance Learning, Alabama State
Department of Education, Overview. http://accessdl.state.
al.us/Overview.html (last visited Dec. 19, 2011).
12 Bielefeldt, Roblyer & Olszewski, supra.
13Id.
Alabama Policy Institute
Classes Without Walls: ACCESS Distance Learning Works for Alabama
maintain an appropriate pace and allows the learner to
reflect on information before responding. Instructors also
can provide a high degree of individualized attention to
each student.14
ACCESS employs both delivery formats to enhance the
distance learning experience. For example, an IVC was held
in April 2010 between ACCESS students and a team of
UAB researchers in Antarctica.15 On other occasions such
as during Distance Learning Week, when many “virtual
field trips” are taken, classes have visited the German
Consulate, spoken with Alabama’s Supreme Court justices,
sat in on committee meetings of the state’s House and
Senate, met with researchers at Dauphin Island, toured the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the NFL Hall of Fame,
and met with former Governor Riley on several occasions.
Future trips include a planned visit to Chicago to meet
with the “History Makers,” a group that preserves AfricanAmerican history.16
3
During the 2010-11 school year, every school district in
Alabama used ACCESS, with an average of 20.3 different
courses taken per district.19 Interestingly, the districts taking
the most ACCESS courses were those located in major
metropolitan statistical areas (66 districts: average of 21.6
different courses), followed by those in micropolitan areas
(31 districts: 20.1 different courses) and rural areas (34
districts: 18.1 different courses).20 Appendix B identifies
the most popular courses by population type.
Another way to measure ACCESS’ effectiveness at
meeting its intended goal to provide a variety of courses
in districts where they would otherwise be impractical
is to count the number of courses taken per student.
According to data provided by ACCESS, rural districts
had the highest level of distance learning saturation in
the 2010-11 school year, with a ratio of 1 course taken
for every 5.3 students. By comparison, micropolitan and
metropolitan districts had ratios of 1 course per 7.4 and
14.6 students, respectively (see Table 1).
ACCESS Utilization in Alabama
ACCESS is available to all public high school students,
including those in the state’s Department of Youth Services.
The program is also open to advanced/accelerated students
in 81 of the state’s middle and junior high schools.17
In the 2009-10 school year, 29,415 students enrolled in
ACCESS for courses with credit. This does not include
another 11,746 enrollments in non-credit courses such
as remediation modules for the Alabama High School
Graduation Exam (AHSGE).18
14Governor’s Task Force on Distance Learning, State of
Alabama, A Plan for Distance Learning, supra.
15ACCESS Distance Learning, Alabama State
Department of Education, Press Room. http://accessdl.state.
al.us/PressRoom.html (last visited Dec. 19, 2011).
16Telephone interview with Meg Lowry, ACCESS Distance
Learning, Alabama State Department of Education Specialist
(Aug. 23, 2011).
17ACCESS Distance Learning, Alabama State
Department of Education, ACCESS Distance Learning—
Making a Difference in Alabama Schools, supra.
18Id.
www.alabamapolicy.org
19ACCESS Distance Learning, Alabama State
Department of Education, AY10-AY11 Number of Courses
by District, 9/30/11. Custom data file provided by Earlene
Patton, ACCESS Program Administrator (Sept. 30, 2011) (on
file with author).
20According to the U.S. Census Bureau, “[metropolitan statistical
areas] contain a core of 50,000 or more population, and a
[micropolitan] area contains at least 10,000 (but less than
50,000) population. Each metro or micro area consists of one
or more counties and includes the counties containing the
core urban area, as well as any adjacent counties that have a
high degree of social and economic integration (as measured
by commuting to work) with the urban core.” Rural districts
have populations of fewer than 10,000. Source: U.S. Census
Bureau, “Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas”
(web). Available at http://tinyurl.com/3q6n4zv. Access
verified October 21, 2011. School district locations by county
from Alabama State Department of Education, “County
and City School Systems as of August 2009” (map). August
2009. Available at http://tinyurl.com/3k7ddov. Access
verified October 21, 2011. Statistical areas and counties from
U.S. Department of Commerce, Economics and Statistics
Administration, U.S. Census Bureau, “Alabama – Core Based
Statistical Areas and Counties” (map). November 2004.
Available at http://tinyurl.com/3nntqu9. Access verified
October 21, 2011.
Classes Without Walls: ACCESS Distance Learning Works for Alabama
4
Table 1
ACCESS Market Penetration, by Population Type: 2010-11
Population Type
Students
ACCESS
Courses Taken
Percent
Ratio
Metropolitan
160,378
10,987
6.85
1:14.6
Micropolitan
38,808
5,231
13.48
1:7.4
Rural
26,153
4,933
18.86
1:5.3
Total
219,774
29,415
13.38
1:7.5
Class Offerings
For the 2011-12 school year, ACCESS offers 78 online
courses in English, Social Studies, Science, Math, Foreign
Languages, Health, Art, and 19 electives (see Appendix A
for a complete list).21 Most of these courses are intended
to be online equivalents of traditional high school classes;
however, expanded offerings allow accelerated students
to enrich their current curriculum by taking higher level
courses than might be offered at the school they attend.
Thirteen courses are AP courses approved by the College
Board. These are designed to be the equivalent of
introductory level college courses, and students taking them
may receive college credit based on the score they receive
on the national test and given by the college they choose
to attend. To give AP students the resources to prepare
for these tests, ACCESS provides them with test-taking
strategies, graded work samples from real tests, scoring
tools and practice tests. Online Exam Reviews are also
available for 10 of these courses.22
21ACCESS Distance Learning, Alabama State
Department of Education, Web-Based Course Offerings: Fall
2011-Summer 2012. Aug. 15, 2011. http://accessdl.state.al.us/
Documents/CourseInfo/815112_Catalog_Fall11-Summer2012_
Web-BasedCourses.pdf (last visited Dec. 19, 2011).
22 ACCESS Distance Learning, Alabama State
Department of Education, Course Information. http://
accessdl.state.al.us/courseinfo.html (last visited Dec. 19, 2011).
Eleven high school level courses are available to 8th
grade students, most of which can be taken by advanced/
accelerated students upon recommendation by a counselor
and approval by a parent or guardian.23 As mentioned earlier,
remedial education courses for students taking the AHSGE
are also available. These are designed to allow students to
prepare for the AHSGE by providing practice materials and
removing all time constraints and grading concerns.24
Finally, 12 ACCESS courses are offered as Credit Recovery
Courses (CRCs), which help students earn high school
credits in courses they did not pass the first time around.25
As students master particular subjects, they receive credit
for the class.
In rural districts, ACCESS courses are taken at a rate that
is almost three times higher (2.7) than that of metropolitan
districts (see Table 2). This is particularly true for courses
23ACCESS Distance Learning, Alabama State
Department of Education, ACCESS Distance Learning
8th Grade Instructional Offerings. Aug. 12, 2011. http://
accessdl.state.al.us/Documents/CourseInfo/81211_8th_grade_
ACCESS_InstrOfferingsFall2011-Spring2012.pdf (last
visited Dec. 19, 2011).
24ACCESS Distance Learning, Alabama State
Department of Education, Web-Based Course Offerings: Fall
2011-Summer 2012. Aug. 15, 2011, supra.
25In October 2011, two additional courses—Algebra I
and Algebra IB—will be added to the CRC program.
Source: ACCESS Distance Learning, Alabama State
Department of Education, Welcome to ACCESS Distance
Learning! http://accessdl.state.al.us (last visited Dec. 19, 2011).
Alabama Policy Institute
Classes Without Walls: ACCESS Distance Learning Works for Alabama
5
Table 2
ACCESS Course Participation by Population Type: 2010-11
Course Type
Population Type
Metropolitan
Micropolitan
Rural
0.3%
0.6%
0.5%
Electives
2.2
4.3
6.1
English
0.3
1.0
0.7
Health
0.5
0.7
2.3
Language
2.1
4.5
4.0
Math
0.4
0.6
2.2
Science
0.6
1.05
1.8
Social Studies
0.5
1.3
1.3
6.9%
13.5%
Art
Total*
18.9%
*Includes two courses not in 2010-11 ACCESS catalog.
in math, health, science, and electives. In micropolitan
districts, students also tend to take courses at a higher rate
than in metropolitan districts, especially English, social
studies, foreign languages, and art.
Measuring the Success of ACCESS
ISTE Evaluations
Since its inception, ACCESS has been evaluated annually
by the International Society for Technology in Education
(ISTE), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that manages
educational training and collaborative contracts within
states and schools districts. According to their most recent
evaluation (October 2010), most teachers either “agreed” or
“strongly agreed” that distance learning was helping:
• Facilitate social equity (4.35 out of 5 possible points);
• Provide economic benefits to students (4.12);
• Improve graduation rates (4.08);
• Improve Alabama’s education system (4.08);
• Improve online teaching (4.03); and
• Improve post-high school successes (4.00).26
26Bielefeldt, Roblyer & Olszewski, supra.
www.alabamapolicy.org
Classes Without Walls: ACCESS Distance Learning Works for Alabama
6
Anecdotal information from focus groups during the most
recent evaluation suggests that students are being positively
affected by ACCESS. According to their responses:
• Graduation rates have improved (some as much as 16
percent);
• Student confidence has risen, improving their attitudes
toward learning;
• Students see themselves as competing on a global
level; and
• Counselors can challenge more students to consider
college after graduation.27
In an earlier evaluation (May 2009), the ISTE found that
most teachers were “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with the
technical support, training, and administrative help they
received from ACCESS. Almost 90 percent also agreed
that ACCESS was “achieving its goal of making high
quality courses available to more Alabama students.”28
AP Outcomes
If prior years of participation are an indicator, about
five percent of the 15,008 students in 2009-10 school
year taking AP courses did so via ACCESS. Likewise,
because the percentage of students taking AP courses
using ACCESS is so low, their influence on the state’s
average AP score is minimal.29
However, improved ACCESS to AP courses should be
viewed as providing opportunities for underserved students
to be part of an emerging trend in Alabama education.
27 I d.
28 Gregory Sampson-Gruener, M. D. Roblyer, Talbot
Bielefeldt, & Joan Schneidmiller, Third Year Report
on the Alabama Connecting Classrooms, Educators, &
Students Statewide (ACCESS) Distance Learning Program.
International Society for Technology in Education,
May 15, 2009. http://accessdl.state.al.us/Documents/ISTE/
ISTEREPORTONACCESSYR3FinalRevised.pdf.
29As a part of their data policy, the College Board—which
administers AP tests—only provides the number of students in
each district who passed or failed AP exams to organizations
with direct control over the district.
Before ACCESS was initiated, the percentage of 11th
and 12th grade students taking AP exams in Alabama
was rising, but still in the single digits. By comparison, the
participation rate for the nation as a whole was more than
double that of Alabama from 2000-05 and continuing to
grow. Since ACCESS began, the percentage of students
taking AP tests in Alabama doubled from 7.5 percent in
2004-05 to 15.5 percent in 2009-10 (see Chart 1).
Unfortunately, as the percentage of students taking AP
tests continues to increase, students’ scores are regressing
to the mean. Prior to ACCESS, the percentage of students
in Alabama making at least a “3” on their AP test hovered
between 55 and 61 percent. After the program was started,
scores peaked at 61.5 percent in 2006 and have fallen
every year since. During the 2009-10 school year, only 47.6
percent of students scored a “3” or better on their AP tests.
Ongoing Challenges Facing ACCESS
Despite the progress ACCESS has made in exposing
students to courses and curricula that would otherwise be
unavailable to them, several problems remain.
Understanding Differences between ACCESS
Senders and Receivers
A significant challenge facing ACCESS and the ISTE
is being able to compare the outcomes of students
taking AP courses in schools sending content and those
receiving it. These analyses are difficult because many
of these schools have utilized ACCESS for different
lengths of time, and “schools that need to receive AP
instruction at a distance are by definition less privileged
than schools that initiate AP courses. Differences in
results for initiating classrooms (where students receive
instruction face-to-face) and receiving classrooms may be
related to demographic variables and have nothing to do
with mode of instruction.”30
Two additional challenges to successfully measuring
outcomes in ACCESS have been adequate data collection
30Bielefeldt, Roblyer & Olszewski, supra.
Alabama Policy Institute
Classes Without Walls: ACCESS Distance Learning Works for Alabama
7
Chart 1
Percentage of 11th and 12th Grade Students Taking AP Tests and Scoring a 3 or Better:
Alabama and the U.S., 1997–2010
Percent Taking AP (%)
30
20
10
0
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
Percent Scoring 3+ (%)
80
70
60
50
40
Alabama
and data quality. Since ACCESS was started in the 200506 school year, both methods for calculating graduation
rates and data storage and display have changed, making it
difficult to conduct longitudinal analyses.
ISTE- and ALSDE-initiated data collection has
also been hampered by technical issues such as local
firewalls that block student and teacher access to online
survey instruments. This could introduce sampling bias.
Respondents who were blocked from participating may
U.S.
have had opinions that were systematically different from
those who were able to submit their surveys.31
Improving AP Test Scores
As mentioned earlier, ACCESS has helped to double the
percentage of Alabama high school students taking AP
courses, but as enrollment has surged, the percentage of
students making satisfactory scores on their college credit
tests has fallen.
31Id.
www.alabamapolicy.org
Classes Without Walls: ACCESS Distance Learning Works for Alabama
8
Table 3
AP Courses Taken in Alabama, by Type and Average Score: 2009-10 School Year
Course
Number of Tests Taken
Average Score (1-5)
Calculus AB
1,392
2.30
English Language & Composition
1,584
2.43
English Literature & Composition
2,784
2.56
U.S. Government & Politics
1,329
2.57
U.S. History
1,308
2.29
One explanation for this trend could be as simple as a
move towards the statistical mean for AP test results. As
the number of students taking a test increases, the more
their average score begins to resemble that of the larger
population. Even in states with academic credentials that
are consistently superior to the rest of the nation, only a
fraction of high school students take AP classes, and even
fewer make test grades that are high enough to qualify
them for college credit.
As ACCESS moves forward, program administrators
should carefully watch for differences between ACCESS
AP performance and the AP performance of students in
traditional educational settings. ACCESS must ensure that
students taking ACCESS AP courses have a comparable
level of AP test preparation as their contemporaries.
At present, the only criterion needed for a student to
enter an AP class other than his or her desire to do so is a
recommendation by a teacher from a previous class. If these
recommendations are not thoughtfully considered, schools—
especially those receiving distance content—could produce
students who take but can’t pass advanced courses.
ACCESS could also introduce online, subject-specific
pre-tests to identify the extent to which students are ready
to take AP courses. These pre-tests would evaluate whether
students seeking AP credit are adequately prepared for the
challenges of the curriculum.
As ACCESS seeks to improve its AP curriculum, it
should focus on improving instruction in courses with
large numbers of test takers and lower scores. According
to data collected by the College Board,32 the AP courses
in Alabama with the highest numbers of test takers and
the lowest average scores for the 2009-10 school year are
in Table 3.
These courses represent a few areas where ACCESS could
adopt a Florida-style approach to course development.
The Florida Virtual School creates high-quality content
for each subject by encouraging collaboration between
teams of instructors, web development specialists, project
managers, and external instructional designers. By
bringing together professionals with different areas of
expertise, courses can be designed to maximize students’
learning experiences.33
32College Board, AP Summary Reports: 2010. 2011. www.
collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/exgrd_sum/2010.html
(last viewed Dec. 19, 2011).
33Sharon Johnston, Teaching Any Time, Any Place, Any Pace, in
Development and Management of Virtual Schools: Issues and Trends,
in Development And Management Of Virtual Schools:
Issues And Trends 116-134 (Cathy Cavanaugh, ed., 2004).
Alabama Policy Institute
Classes Without Walls: ACCESS Distance Learning Works for Alabama
Conclusion
Distance learning has the potential to change the lives of
students and communities. ACCESS has already made
tremendous progress in creating a world-class distance
learning program. ALSDE must continue to ensure
that parents across Alabama are aware of ACCESS
opportunities available to their children. As parents,
teachers, and legislators look for answers to improve
education in Alabama, expanding and improving ACCESS
should be an integral part of the solution.
www.alabamapolicy.org
9
10
Classes Without Walls: ACCESS Distance Learning Works for Alabama
Alabama Policy Institute
Classes Without Walls: ACCESS Distance Learning Works for Alabama
11
Appendix A:
Web-Based Course Offerings for ACCESS Distance Learning, 2011-2012
Discipline
Subject
Mathematics
Credit
Notes
9
1
AA8
Algebra IA
9
1
CRC1
Algebra IB
9
1
Geometry
9
Algebra I
Audience Grades
8
10
11
1
11 12
1
11 12
1
Precalculus
11 12
1
AP Calculus AB
11 12
1
CBA
AP Statistics
11 12
1
CBA
1
CRC12
Algebra II
Algebra II w/ Trigonometry
Science
10
Physical Science
9
Biology
9
Chemistry
English
1
Environmental Science
11 12
1
Physics
11 12
1
CPC
Marine Science
11 12
1
CPC
AP Chemistry
11 12
1
CBA
AP Biology
11 12
English 9
English 11
English 12
10
1
11 12
English 10
www.alabamapolicy.org
10
CRC2
9
10
11
12
CPC
CBA
1
CRC3
1
CRC4
1
CRC5
1
CRC6
Classes Without Walls: ACCESS Distance Learning Works for Alabama
12
Discipline
English (cont’d.)
Social Studies
Subject
Audience Grades
Notes
AP English Language
and Composition
11 12
1
CBA
AP English Literature
and Composition
12
1
CBA
1
CRC7
1
CRC8
1
CRC9
World History: 1500 to Present
9
U.S. History to 1877
10
U.S. History from 1877
to the Present
11
Economics
12
½
CRC10
U.S. Government
12
½
CRC11
1
CBA
AP U.S. History
Foreign Languages
Credit
11
AP U.S. Government
and Politics
12
½
CBA
AP Macroeconomics
12
½
CBA
AA8
Spanish I
8
Spanish II
9
10
11 12
1
9
10
11 12
1
10
11 12
1
11 12
1
10
11
1
10
11 12
1
11 12
1
10
11 12
1
10
11 12
1
11 12
1
11 12
1
Spanish III
Spanish IV
Latin I
8
9
Latin II
Latin III
French I
8
9
French II
French III
German I
8
9
10
AA8
AA8
AA8
Alabama Policy Institute
Classes Without Walls: ACCESS Distance Learning Works for Alabama
Discipline
Subject
Foreign Languages (cont’d.)
13
Audience Grades
Credit
10
11 12
1
11 12
1
German II
German III
Mandarin Chinese I
8
9
10
11 12
1
9
10
11 12
1
11 12
1
10
11 12
½
9
10
11 12
1
Global Studies
(Contemporary Issues)
9
10
11 12
1
Personal Finance
9
10
11 12
½
10
11 12
1
Mandarin Chinese II
AP Spanish
Electives
Creative Writing
Business Technology
Applications
8
Accounting
Nutrition and Wellness
(Dietetics)
9
10
11 12
½
Reading (Reading 2 Succeed)
9
10
11 12
½
11 12
½
10
11 12
1
10
11 12
1
11 12
1
11 12
½
11 12
1
11 12
½
11 12
1
Sociology
Workforce Essentials
Web Design I
(Multimedia Design)
9
Web Design II
(Information Technology)
Computer Programming
BASIC I
10
AP Computer Science A
Psychology
AP Psychology
www.alabamapolicy.org
10
Notes
AA8
CBA
AA8
CBA
CBA
Classes Without Walls: ACCESS Distance Learning Works for Alabama
14
Discipline
Subject
Electives (cont’d.)
Health
Arts
8th Grade Courses
Alabama High School
Graduation Exam (AHSGE)
Remediation Modules
via Moodle
Audience Grades
AP Art History
Forensic Science
9
Journalism
9
Forestry (Available Spring 2012)
9
Health Education
Arts Survey
9
10
Credit
Notes
11 12
1
CBA
11 12
1
½
10
11 12
1
10
11 12
½
10
11 12
½
Science 8 (Physical Science,
Grade 8) - Full-Year Course
8
NA
AA8
Creative Writing 8 Full-Year or Half-Year Course
8
NA
AA8
Mathematics 8 (Pre-Algebra)
Available Spring 2012
- Full-Year Course
8
NA
AA8
Journalism 8 - Half-Year Course
8
NA
AA8
Mathematics Remediation
10
11 12
0
Science Remediation
10
11 12
0
Language Remediation
10
11 12
0
Reading Comprehension
Remediation
10
11 12
0
Social Studies Remediation
10
11 12
0
Notes: CRC = Also available as a Credit Recovery Course;
CBA = College Board-approved course;
CPC = College-Preparatory Course;
AA8 = Intended for advanced/accelerated 8th-grade students upon counselor recommendations and parent/guardian approvals.
Alabama Policy Institute
Classes Without Walls: ACCESS Distance Learning Works for Alabama
Appendix B:
Most Commonly Taken ACCESS Distance Learning Courses, by Population Area, 2010-11
Metropolitan Districts
Rural Districts
• Spanish I
• Health Education
• Spanish II
• Spanish I
• Health Education
• Spanish II
• Personal Finance
• Psychology (0.5 credit)
• Psychology (0.5 credit)
• Reading to Succeed
Micropolitan Districts
State Total
• Spanish I
• Spanish I
• Spanish II
• Spanish II
• Health Education
• Health Education
• Psychology (0.5 credit)
• Psychology (0.5 credit)
• Business Technical Applications
• Arts Survey
www.alabamapolicy.org
15
16
Classes Without Walls: ACCESS Distance Learning Works for Alabama
Alabama Policy Institute
Classes Without Walls: ACCESS Distance Learning Works for Alabama
www.alabamapolicy.org
17
402 Office Park Drive, Suite 300
Birmingham, AL 35223
P: 205.870.9900
F: 205.870.4407
info@alabamapolicy.org
www. alabamapolicy.org