A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

The Learning Anytime Anywhere Partnerships (LAAP)

The Learning Anytime Anywhere Partnership supports postsecondary partnerships among colleges, businesses, and other organizations to promote technology-mediated distance education that is not limited by time or place. LAAP hopes to improve access to quality lifelong learning, and to promote coordination and resource sharing among distance education providers.

In its first year, Learning Anytime Anywhere Partnerships made 29 awards. These grants:

• Take place in 40 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
• Include 275 partner organizations, of which 59 (21 percent) are corporations, showing the strong industry partnership of Learning Anytime Anywhere Partnerships awards.
• Generate $60,343,680 in cost sharing, almost doubling the $35,004,306 requested in federal funds.
• Have a broad reach, with 41 percent of national scope, 21 percent of regional scope, and the rest primarily statewide.

Lead partners are required to be not-for-profit organizations, and include universities, colleges, associations, foundations, and others. Other partners come from the whole spectrum of academia, industry, and nonprofits, as shown in the percentage of proposals with these other partners:

Learning Anytime Anywhere Partnerships projects focus on key populations:

• 69 percent focus on groups specifically identified by Learning Anytime Anywhere Partnerships legislation: individuals needing basic and technical skills, individuals with disabilities, dislocated workers, welfare-to-work participants, and others not served by traditional institutions.
• 86 percent focus on workforce-related populations, such as adult learners, apprentices, and unemployed/displaced/welfare to work individuals.

For more information, contact Brian Lekander at (202)502-7520, Karen Levitan at (202)502-7520, or Joan Krejci at (202)502-7518, or e-mail LAAP@ed.gov, or visit the Web site at http://www.ed.gov/offices/OPE/FIPSE/LAAP/.

Examples

Southern Regional Education Board (SREB), Atlanta, Georgia

Partners:
Eighteen additional partners, including Florida Gulf Coast University, the University of North Carolina, the Florida Community College Distance Learning Consortium, and the Higher Education Boards, Departments, or Commissions of Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia

Project Abstract:
Establishing the SREB Distance Learning Policy Laboratory: The proposed policy laboratory identifies, reviews, discusses and recommends policy for distance education in sixteen states in the southern region, and facilitates the implementation of such policies through legislation and voluntary agreements. Issues being addressed include in-state and out-of-state tuition charges for distance learners, financial aid, allocation of state funding, academic calendar, accreditation, quality assurance and consumer protection, faculty productivity indicators, credit transfer, online student services, security and student authentication, and relationships between public and independent providers of distance education. An important feature of the project is a research component to document current practice in the region regarding distance education. The goal is to modify these practices in order to form a common "free-trade zone" policy for distance learning delivery by public and independent colleges and universities in the member states.

College of the Mainland, Texas City, Texas

Partners:
Gulf Coast Process Technology Alliance (a consortium of 30 Gulf Coast petrochemical companies, 20 community colleges and universities in Texas, Louisiana, and Michigan, plus professional organizations, government agencies and training companies)

Project Abstract:
Educating the Incumbent Process Technician Workforce Through Distance Learning: Using such innovative techniques as virtual reality technology, an eight course-core curriculum is being offered to incumbent workers in the petrochemical and related industries, enabling them to refresh their skills, learn new technologies, or earn a two-year Associate of Applied Science degree, all entirely online. Courses and degrees are being offered through the College of the Mainland and other community colleges in the Gulf Coast Process Technology Alliance. The virtual reality component is a partial solution to the problem of hands-on practical instruction at a distance, and is especially suitable for teaching safety techniques without endangering the learner. The Fund for Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) provides partial funding for the project, which is also receiving support from the National Science Foundation and Perkins funds.

Utah State University, The Center for Persons with Disabilities, Logan, Utah

Partners:
Public Broadcasting System (PBS) Adult Learning Service (Virginia), The American Association for Higher Education (AAHE), The Teaching, Learning and Technology (TLT) Affiliate (Washington, DC), Western Governors University (Colorado), MadDuck Technologies (Virginia)

Project Abstract:
Accessibility to Learning Environments: Learning Anytime, Anywhere, for Anyone: This project serves individuals with disabilities by significantly improving their access to postsecondary online learning opportunities. Four approaches are being used to tackle the pervasive problem of Web sites and courseware that have not been designed for the needs of persons with disabilities: a) a national dissemination effort to inform and assist postsecondary institutions to identify web accessibility problems; b) a model of training and technical assistance for postsecondary web developers is being developed, followed by three sequenced, live training events broadcast to 150 postsecondary sites; c) a course development tool supporting web accessibility at postsecondary institutions is being developed; and d) a document to guide institutional coordination of accessibility standards is being disseminated to at least 1,000 postsecondary institutions. Consumers with disabilities play a key role in developing and evaluating project materials.

Publications

For more information on the Learning Anytime Anywhere Partnerships, please visit the Fund for Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) Web site: http://www.ed.gov/offices/OPE/FIPSE/books.html

Fund For Improvement of Postsecondary Education Publications

• Program Books

  • 1998 Program Book (Includes descriptions of all Fund for Improvement of Post-Secondary Education -funded projects which began in the years 1996-1998).

  • 1997 Program Book (Includes descriptions of all Fund for Improvement of Post-Secondary Education -funded projects which began in the years 1995-1997).

  • 1996 Program Book (Includes descriptions of all Fund for Improvement of Post-Secondary Education -funded projects which began in the years 1994-1996).

  • 1995 Program Book (Includes descriptions of all Fund for Improvement of Post-Secondary Education -funded projects which began in the years 1993-1995).

• Lessons Learned From Fund for Improvement of Postsecondary Education Projects.
  These volumes, written in collaboration with directors of College and University Reform Projects, tell what worked, what didn't, and why.

  • Volume 1, October 1990.

  • Volume 2, September 1993.

  • Volume 3, August 1996.

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