Accreditation and Assessment in Distance Learning

All accredited institutions in the United States that are involved in distance learning initiatives need to be concerned about how their programs and courses will be viewed by accreditation organizations. A review of the policies of several major accreditation associations and professional groups, national, regional and specialized, yields similar results when issues of distance learning are concerned. These requirements are reviewed. Virtually all accreditors require evidence of regular assessment processes. Alternative methods for conducting these assessments are proposed