DSS to Host Teleconference
on Distance Education Partnerships
DSS is hosting the teleconference "Reaching Special Populations via Distance Education Partnerships" on Thursday, June 22 at 1103-A Houston Cole Library beginning at 12:00 (noon). Current distance education practices are evolving for reaching and retaining special populations of learners. Whether students with disabilities, cultural barriers, limited English language skills or other difficulties, these learners have had little access to education in the past.

You are invited to join Dr. Kathleen King in a live 90-minute interactive audio conference. Emphasizing the concept of building network or commuication "bridges", this session will address both the management and the instructional practices that connect teachers and learners, with a special focus on partnerships and diverse populations. Distance education has the capability of bridging special learner and subgroup populations with learning opportunities in a great variety of ways.

Discovering innovative combinations of needs, resources, expertise, technologies and organizations can help maximize the reach and service of educational programs—a winning combination for everyone involved. This session is based on a synthesis of research of several FIPSE-funded distance education grant projects.

Who Should Attend?

* Faculty in all disciplines
* Faculty development personnel
* Distance educators
* Academic chairs
* Academic deans
* Academic advisors
* Adult and continuing education personnel

You will learn to:

• Explore definitions and needs of special populations who may be served through distance education technologies and partnerships
  
  
• Explore four characteristics of special populations programs
  
  
• Discover benefits and limitations of organizational partnerships to serve special populations
  
  
• Learn best practices for higher education partnerships
  
  
• Discover a web-based searchable database about higher education distance learning funded grants; a site that includes key findings, best practice, lessons learned, and contact information for program directors *Discuss, consider and explore innovative technology applications to address special populations

The presenter is Kathleen P. King, a professor and director of the Regional Educational Technology Center (RETC) and program director of the M.S. in Adult Education and Human Resource Development at Fordham University's Graduate School of Education. She coordinates several grants that provide professional development of teachers in educational technology and also non-technology content areas. Ms. King has planned, designed, conducted, and researched faculty and staff development in educational technology for higher education institutions, organizations, corporations, and K-12 schools. Dr. King is recognized for her expertise in combining her knowledge of adult education with computer technology in faculty and staff development.

Dr. King has authored several books including: "Bringing Transformative Learning to Life" (2005); a two-volume series about professional development of educators: "Keeping Pace with Technology: Educational Technology that Transforms" (2002, 2003), and "A Model for Planning for Effective Faculty Development: Using Adult Learning Principles" (with P.A. Lawler, 2000). King is founding editor of the adult education journal, "Prospectives: The New York Journal of Adult Learning."

The 90-minute program includes a presentation followed by a lively, interactive, real-time question-and-answer session. For more information contact Daniel L. Miller, Director of Disability Support Services at Ext. 8381 or send e-mail to dmiller@jsu.edu.

---

Submit items for news releases by using the request form at www.jsu.edu/newswire/request.