A Comparison of Traditional and Distance Education Models.

Overview & Synopsis

A distance education program at West Virginia University (WVU) offers graduate level training to prospective and practicing special education teachers in rural areas. This report compares the cost effectiveness of distance education to previous models at WVU during the past 15 years, including campus-based and field-based delivery systems. The Severe/Profound Handicaps program at WVU is a graduate program leading to a master's degree in special education as well as West Virginia teaching certification in severe handicaps. The program requires completion of 30 semester hours of coursework and practicum experiences for certification and an additional 6 hours of elective credits for the degree. Comparison of cost estimates across a 15-year time span indicates that although the campus-based program had the lowest combination of costs per course and per trainee, it also produced the fewest number of trainees completing the program. The field-based program achieved a reasonable balance between costs and outcomes, slightly increasing personnel and delivery costs but producing more trainees. Data from the distance education program showed a dramatic increase in costs yet a major increase in production of trainees. While the costs per course were much higher, the costs per student remained about the same. This study concludes that the costs of the distance education model were offset by the increase in the number of trainees, who are needed to meet the growing demand for special education personnel in rural areas. (Contains 19 references.) (LP)