How do I find and enroll in a distance education program?

If you’re currently incarcerated:

    Ask your Correctional Counselor, or the staff of your facility’s education department for information on available programs (Note: Because of the technology requirements of Distance Education programs, they may not be available at your facility);
    Request information on accredited Distance Education programs that may be available to people incarcerated in California facilities by writing to the California Department of Education, Adult Education Office, 1430 N Street, Suite 4202, Sacramento, CA 95814 or by calling (916) 322-2175.

If you’re formerly incarcerated:

    Check your local public library for information on schools that offer Distance Education programs (these programs have become very popular and are offered to some extent at most schools).
    Check with local community colleges to see if they offer courses through Distance Education.
    Visit your local America’s Job Centers of California for information on Distance Education programs and the institutions that offer them.
    Check these online resources:
    California Virtual Campus (http://www.cvc.edu/students/)—offers a step-by-step guide to Distance Education in California;
    California Department of Education, Adult Education (http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/ae/)
    The U.S. Dep’t of Educ., Database of Accredited Post-Secondary Institutions and Programs at: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/Search.aspx.
    The Distance Education Accrediting Commission, Directory of Accredited Institutions at: www.deac.org.

Helpful HintACCREDITATION OF DISTANCE EDUCATION PROGRAMS

There are numerous commercial websites that advertise hundreds of Distance Education programs and schools in the U.S. and abroad. However, keep in mind that schools and programs pay to be listed on these websites. This means that when you search these sites, only those that have paid will come up—you will not see the rest of the schools and programs out there, so the results of your search will be limited. Also, many of these websites claim that they only list “accredited” schools and programs, however, you should always do your own research to make sure that a school or Distance Education program is 1) legitimate and 2) recognized by an approved accrediting agency.[2889] (For more information on accreditation and scam programs, see Choosing Your Educational Path, PG. 849.)

  1. 2889

    See Distance Learning Portal, http://www.distancelearningportal.com; see also Online Degrees Program, http://www.onlinedegreeprograms.com, see also allOnlineSchools, http://www.allonlineschools.com. ↑