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DL Student Welcome Memo — Spring 2008
Welcome to ACC's Distance Learning program. We want your distance education experience to be a successful one. As a DL student, you have access to all the instructional support services on-campus students utilize; you also have some special resources specifically designed for DL students. Whether this is your first DL course or you've participated in the program before at ACC, please take a few minutes to review your resources.
Starting the SemesterBeginning a DL CourseEvery Distance Learning class begins with a mandatory DL Course Orientation. Refer to your course section's listing in the Course Schedule to find the orientation options for your DL class.
Students who fail to meet a DL course's orientation requirements may be dropped from the class. If you are unable to complete your DL Course Orientation as scheduled, contact your instructor immediately to determine if any alternatives are available. Blackboard for DL CoursesBlackboard is an online course management system used to supplement the delivery of many of ACC's Distance Learning and on-campus courses. Not every Distance Learning course uses Blackboard. To find out if your course is taught using Blackboard, complete your mandatory DL Course Orientation—Blackboard information will be provided if applicable to your DL class. For more information about using Blackboard, please refer to the Blackboard Support website. ACC Student ID CardsStudents are required to present an ACC Student ID card in order to use campus services such as Testing Centers, Libraries, and Computer Labs. New students can come to any campus Admissions & Records Office one day after registering for courses to have a Student ID card made; a valid state or federally issued photo ID, such as a Driver's License, must be presented. [top] Distance Learning Help LineThe Distance Learning Help Line is available to assist students with DL questions Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (The Help Line is closed during all official ACC holidays.) Phone: 223-8026 | Toll-free: 1-888-223-8026 | Email: dl@austincc.edu [top] DL Student Support ServicesDistance Learning 101Distance Learning 101 offers online resources that will help you better understand what is expected of students taking DL courses, and what you can expect from Distance Learning. Explore your learning style compatibility with distance education through the Learning Style Assessment; measure your technology skills and find tutorials to develop, review, or renew those skills in the Technical Skills Checklist; find definitions for technical terms in the Distance Learning Glossary; and participate in the interactive Passport to Success workshop to learn the basics of distance education at ACC, acquire study tips and strategies, and discover college-wide student support services, as well as services especially for DL students. Distance Learning CounselorACC now offers specialized counseling services to address the unique needs of Distance Learning students. The Distance Learning Counselor will work with DL students to help them understand how to select appropriate courses and decide on reasonable academic loads, and address other Student Services questions regarding online and distance education. DL students may email the DL Counselor, or contact her by phone at 223-8187. Distance Testing ProgramTests for most DL courses, including online (PCM) courses, are conducted on campus in the Academic Testing Centers. DL students who live outside the ACC service area and cannot travel to an ACC campus may be able to complete testing requirements through the Distance Testing Program with instructor pre-approval. Instructors do have the right to refuse Distance Testing requests, so it is strongly recommended that students obtain permission for Distance Testing services prior to registering for courses. It is the student's responsibility to locate a testing facility to proctor the exams. Refer to the Distance Testing Procedure for detailed information and to download the required Distance Testing Request & Transmittal Form. ITV Viewing Information & Cable TV ScheduleInstructional Television programs are broadcast locally on cable through Time Warner Cable, Grande Communications, and Suddenlink Communications; refer to the Cable TV Schedule for specific broadcast details for each course. Video programs for most ITV courses can be rented for the semester from ACT Media, a telecourse distribution company not affiliated with ACC. For detailed information on rental procedures and fees, visit their website or call ACT Media at 1-800-745-5480. Videotapes for all ITV classes can also be viewed on campus in the Library Media Centers; students should check with the individual Media Center for tape availability. Online ServicesStudents can use ACC Online Services to check their schedules, register and drop classes, make tuition payments, check Financial Aid status, view unofficial transcripts, refer to academic counseling plans, and evaluate Distance Learning course instructors. Ordering Textbooks OnlineDL students may purchase textbooks online from MBS Direct. Payment is accepted by Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover credit cards. For information about other payment methods, please call 1-800-325-3252 to order. Orders are shipped the next business day (Monday-Friday, excluding holidays). DL students can also purchase textbooks and other course materials from the ACC Bookstore. SMARTHINKING Online TutoringDL students can take advantage of free online tutoring services from SMARTHINKING. Live, one-on-one help is available in the following areas: Writing, Grammar, Mathematics, Statistics, Accounting, Spanish, and Economics. SMARTHINKING also offers an Online Writing Lab (OWL) to assist students with writing essays and papers in many disciplines. Free SMARTHINKING service is limited to 15 hours a semester, and is only available to ACC students currently enrolled in Distance Learning courses. If you are interested in using SMARTHINKING, please email Distance Learning for account information. Students must provide their full name, as it appears on file with the ACC Admissions & Records Office, and their 7-digit ACC ID number to receive the SMARTHINKING account instructions. [top] Campus-Based Student ServicesAs an ACC student, you have access to all campus-based instructional support services. Use the following directory to help you locate services available at the campus most convenient to you. Hours of operation vary from campus to campus, so check to the website or call ahead to confirm availability. Refer to the ACC website for a comprehensive list of student resources. Academic Testing CentersTests for most DL courses, including online (PCM) courses, are administered on campus in the Academic Testing Centers. Testing Centers are located at the Cypress Creek, Eastview, Northridge, Pinnacle, Rio Grande, Riverside, and South Austin Campuses, as well as at the Fredericksburg, Round Rock, and San Marcos ACC Centers. Students should check with the specific Testing Center to determine hours of operation. Students must present an ACC Student ID card in order to use the Testing Center. Refer to the Student Guide For Use Of ACC Testing Centers Admissions & RecordsCampus Admissions & Records Offices can assist students with applying to the College, determining residency status, registering and/or withdrawing from classes, changing schedules, verifying enrollment, obtaining an ACC Student ID card, updating student records (including name and address changes), requesting official ACC transcripts, and applying for graduation. Advising & CounselingAcademic Advising helps students determine appropriate course placement and select courses in their chosen area of study. Professional counselors are also available to help students determine personal, educational, and career goals. BookstoreStudents can purchase textbooks, computer software, and other course materials from the ACC Bookstore. Textbooks for DL courses with on-campus orientations may be purchased at the campus bookstore where the orientation is held. Textbooks for DL courses with online orientations are located at the Rio Grande ACC Bookstore. For information on textbook purchasing options, Bookstore locations, and hours of operation, visit the ACC Bookstore website. Computer LabsStudents may use the Computer Labs on campus to access online courses, do research, and write and print papers. For detailed information on all computing services available, as well as locations and hours of operation, please visit the Computer Services website. Financial AidACC offers financial assistance for students including scholarships, grants, Work-Study, and loans. Application and deadline information is available on the Financial Aid website. Library Services for DL StudentsDL students have access to Library resources via telephone, computer, and mail, in addition to the on-campus ACC Libraries. For complete details about the Library services available for DL students, visit the Library website. DL students may also contact the Distance Learning Librarian, Leigh Kilman, by phone at 223-3066, or email the Distance Learning Librarian. Media ServicesEach campus Library houses a Media Center, where students may view Instructional Television (ITV) video programs, listen to audio recordings, watch DVDs, or utilize other multimedia devices. Refer to the Media Services website for complete information on the resources available, as well as Media Center locations and hours of operation. Students with DisabilitiesACC offers support services for students with documented disabilities through campus OSD Offices. Students needing assistance should contact an OSD Office as early in the semester as possible to make service arrangements. Refer to the Office For Students with Disabilities website for complete information Tutoring & Learning LabsDL students may visit the Learning Labs on campus for tutoring and tailored individual instruction. Services include one-on-one and group tutoring as well as tutor-lead study groups in a variety of subject areas. Refer to the Learning Labs website for information about tutoring services available, as well as campus locations and hours of operation. [top] Thank you for choosing Distance Learning at Austin Community College to meet your academic goals this semester. Please consider us a primary resource in achieving those goals. Good luck with your courses!
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