GROUP: Distance Learning Interest Group

CHAIR: Meg Tulloch/Erin McCaffrey

REPORTER: Erin McCaffrey

EMAIL: emccaffr@regis.edu

CONFERENCE: midwinter

MEETING: Interest Group business meeting

ATTENDEES: 25

CURRENT ACTIVITIES: The membership confirmed their interested in continuing this Interest Group. Howard Carter provided some information on the history of this Interest Group and volunteer opportunities in LITA.

Discussion topics:

How does assistive technology play a role in DL?
Discussion concerned assistive technology and following accessibility guidelines in design for distance learning.

Standards for personal technology used by DL students Some institutions are considering raising their base technology requirements for distance learners. Some systems, like WebCT Vista, seem to function better with higher connection speeds. A discussion ensued regarding library customization within Learning Management Systems (LMS) and open source LMS.

Program ideas for ALA Annual 2007

Topics that were previously suggested for a future program included assistive technology, instructional design, and downloadable audio-visual materials.

Learning objects, including learning object management and standards was suggested as a program topic and received great interest from those members attending.

FUTURE ACTIVITIES: Proposing a program for ALA Annual 2007. I met with the LITA Program Planning Committee in San Antonio to gather their input and suggestions.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: With this conference, our meeting time changed so that it no longer conflicts with the committee meetings of ACRL's Distance Learning Section. We suspect that contributed to the increase in attendees.