The last couple of weeks, I’ve been busy with my online classes.  It’s been an interesting experience for me because I’ve never done online distance learning.

It was not an easy decision for me.  Ultimately, I chose distance learning because I couldn’t leave my employment and didn’t want to, yet needed to continue learning.  It took a year and half of searching and researching before I chose a school out of a long list of schools, both local and those that offered distance learning. Then I went through the process of applying, getting financial aid, and communicating with the school’s people and my Department of Rehabilitation counselor.  I did have to turn in some forms documenting my deafness and my need to have transcripted lectures/videos, which was really a formality.

The class meets twice a week via a Live Chat.  The teacher lectures with a PowerPoint presentation with a green pointer pointing as he speaks. All questions and discussions are done by text.  There’s an option to view the professor via webcam, but it’s really not necessary to be viewing the professor who is just looking at the computer screen and talking.

I like that the playing field is “level” and nobody notices I’m deaf.  There’s no interpreter sitting in front of the class.  I don’t have to worry about missing the interpreter, the quality of the interpreter, or the interpreter being late.  Nobody notices each others’ skin color, age, or handicap.  Communication is primarily by e-mailing if not in Live Chats or designated Discussion Boards.  Class assignments are uploaded directly to the posted assignment.

Even though people appear to be without a physical entity, we know each other by our real names and pictures because that’s how the system works — we are identified by our real names as entered on the application papers, school transcriptions and payments.  Once in a while, we will be put together into a small group to do a group project.  I just had my first experience with doing a group project with three other classmates.  We had our own little area for discussing, live chatting, e-mailing all members, and uploading our assignments.

From the start, I was intrigued by how the distance learning experience would be for me.   I was worried about getting lost, missing an assignment, or not understanding the discussions, but it was all unfounded.

Assignments are posted with their possible scores and kept up for the entirety of the term, and is immediately viewed when you log in to view your account so you can’t ever miss an assignment that’s right in front of you.  Teacher comments are also posted under the week’s agenda.  Each assignment has a field for teacher/student comments, grading, and due date with deadline time.  E-mailing is done within the account, and there is an area where you can see your own classmates, the professor, and school facility.  Clicking on their names gives you the option to e-mail, message, or a number to call a school facility member at, which is handy.  Everything is clearly arranged in the virtual campus.

I also felt that the teacher and classmates were much more approachable through the Live Chats, discussion boards and e-mailing. When a Live Chat is happening, you can see who is typing so it doesn’t get too crazy in there.  Keeping with the tradition of schools being the hub for clubs, there are even online clubs for registered students to join and share their interests.  Since my online school is a school for designers and web developers, the virtual campus is highly interactive and visually pleasing, I enjoy being logged on and working inside the virtual campus.

Of course, I have a year and half to go so anything could happen.  But I think this is turning into a positive experience.