Distance Learning Association

The United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA) is a
non-profit association formed in 1987 and is located in Boston,
Massachusetts. It promotes the development and application of
distance learning for education and training and serves the
needs of the distance learning community by providing advocacy,
information, networking and opportunity.

It’s Board of Directors features academics and officers from
some of the best schools in the country including Stanford
University, Oklahoma State University, and the University of
Texas. They run a number of programs designed to assist and
support students and teachers grow and learn in the distance
learning environment.

One of their best-known programs is called Educating Everyone
and operating under the umbrella of the USDLA it provides direct
broadcast educational programs for the Pre K-12, Higher
Education, Teacher Professional Development and General Public
constituencies. Program offerings include foreign language
instruction, teacher training, and other general information
using digital satellite transmission technology on a 24 x 7
schedule.

The USDLA is also a great resource for information about
distance learning in this country. On their website at http://www.usdla.org you will find
information about breakthroughs and firsts in the direct
learning world. Like the fact that two students became the first
to graduate from Purdue University’s veterinary technician
direct learning program. Another news item reported that a
leading education finance company, Chela Education Financing,
has agreed to provide $30,000.00 in scholarships to students who
undertake an online degree distance learning program.

The USDLA also has 30 state chapters from Arizona to West
Virginia, each of which provide the same resources and support
to students and educators involved in distance learning programs
within their state jurisdiction. It has a special chapter for
the Federal Government District Learning Association and it has
plans to expand so that every state in the union will have an
active voice to promote distance learning in their area.

One of the most important roles that the USDLA plays is in the
monitoring and regulation of distance learning programs
throughout the United States. While they do not have the
authority to grant or remove accreditation from a school or
institution the USDLA does review and accredit distance learning
institutions. They focus on evaluating the effectiveness of the
distance learning program, evaluating the quality of the
institutions themselves, and most importantly providing
information on quality assurance of distance learning through
its publications and website.

The USDLA is an independent voice that can speak out on concerns
raised with them by all partners in the distance learning
environment and plays an important role in ensuring that the
best quality of education is available to as many people as
possible through distance learning programs.