ACCJC & WASC on DE vs Correspondence means

The Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) and Western Association of School and Colleges (WASC) has distinguished and defined the differences between distance education and a correspondence education:

“Distance education is defined, for the purposes 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 instructors, either synchronously or asynchronously. Distance education often incorporate technologies such as the internet; one-way and two-way transmissions through open broadcast, closed circuit, cable, microwave, broadband lines, fiber optics, DVDs, and CD-ROMs, in conjunction with any of the other technologies.”

Vs.

“Correspondence education means:

1. Education provided though 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.”

“Correspondence course is:

1. A course provided 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. Interaction between the instructor and student is limited, is not regular and substantive, and is primarily initiated by the student. Correspondence course are typically self-paces;

2. A course which is part correspondence and part residential training, the Secretary considers the course to be a correspondence course; and

3. Not distance education.