Week Three: Alabama Connecting Classrooms, Educators, and Students Statewide (ACCESS)

ACCESS is an education initiative of the Alabama Department Of Education, which provides opportunitied for high school students to engage in Advanced Placement courses they do not have access to in their educational institution. The courses offered on this site are Interactive VideoConferencing, Web-based, and Summer School Programs. The 2008-2009 Interactive VideoConferencing offers Honors and AP courses in Mathematics, English, Social Studies, Science, Health Education, Career Technical, and Foreign Languages such as French, German, Latin, Spanish, and Mandarin Chinese. Web-based courses are Instructional offerings in the same areas of education, AP Art classes, and includes The Alabama High School Graduation Remedian Materials for the subjects of Language, Mathematics, Reading Comprehension, Science, and Social Studies. The 2008 Summer School courses are module offerings in the same areas of education, including Creative Writing, Psychology, Career Technical coordinated studies, and the AHSGE Remediation Modules for the subjects of Language, Reading Comprehension, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies.
ACCESS provides a site with course descriptions which provides information on grade level, credits, prerequisites, testing requirements, materials needed for each course, and gives a brief description of each course provided on the site for students. Course offerings lists materials needed for The Alabama High School Graduation Exam Remediation, Website links to The Interactive VideoConferencing (IVC) courses, and The ACCESS Distance Learning Support Center Regions. These regions are located at The madison City Schools, The University Of Alabama, and Troy University. This portion of the ACCESS site also provides contact information for The ACCESS Distance Learning Technology Initiatives located in Montgomery, Alabama. Students are provided with four tools used to aide them in their AP studies called ChemLab, Gramatice, Math Type, and Software Products. ChemLab is an interactive lab simulation for Windows and Mac OS computer users. Gramatice is an equation plotter with numerical and calculuc features, which is easy to use for students. Math Type adds equations to virtually and application that has insert object command, which allows students to paste objects and drag graphical images across their computer screens. Software Products are also available for download to approved students.
ACCESS provides educators with new and innovative ways to motivate their students, ideas to expand teaching knowledge, and the opportunity to share their expertise with students anywhere in the state. ACCESS provides technology in instruction, video conferencing resources, and supporting organizations of the ACCESS program. This site also provides informational brochures for students, educators, and parents as well. The ACCESS website also provides a link for The Alabama Virtual Library by the office of the Governor & Alabama State Legislature. This links students, teachers, and citizens to a AVL Tutorial and Advocacy Resources to access essential library information resources. The AVL also contains primary online databases for magazines, journals, and newspaper articles for research. The Alabama Virtual Library raises the level of excellence in schools and communities across the state. The AVL Council meets every other month and a tentative schedule of their meetings are posted on the website for any public viewer wanting to attend them. Participating AVL Agencies, Council Representative, and Bylaws for Alabama Virtual Library Council is also provided on this portion of the website.
Other valuable resources provided on the ACCESS website include a Summary of External Evaluation of Alabama, ACCESS Initiative Phase 3 Report, HippoCampos (Informational) Powerpoint, AETA Presentations, Educational Forum Presentation, Support Center Regional Meetings Presentation, Final Exam Exemption Form, 2007-2010 ACCESS Plan, ACCESS Distance Learning School Acknowledgement Form, Counselors Registration Presentation Brochures, AETA 2007 Presentations, Powerpoint from Support Regional Meetings, and The ACCESS Distance Learning Policies. This website and information can be retrieved at accessdl.state.al.us.