Access to library resources varied depending on the type of library resource. Access to an electronic link with the institution’s library was available for some or all courses at 56 percent of the institutions, and cooperative agreements for students to use other libraries were available at 62 percent of institutions (tables 12and 13). Institution library staff were assigned to assist distance education students at 45 percent of the institutions, while library deposit collections were available at remote sites at 39 percent of institutions.

The availability of these resources for students showed some variation by institutional type (Table 13). In particular, students at public 4- year institutions more frequently had access to the resources than did those at public 2-year institutions, with the exception of institution’s library staff assigned to assist distance education students and library deposit collections at remote sites.

Procedures for Test Administration

In order to better understand if and how students enrolled in distance education courses are evaluated, institutions were asked about test administration for students enrolled in for-credit distance education courses. If tests are administered, institutions were asked whether various testing procedures were used “almost never,” “sometimes,” or “almost always.”

Almost all of the institutions (98 percent) administered some type of test to students enrolled in for-credit distance education courses (not shown in tables). A third of the institutions administering tests indicated that they almost always used tests that are group administered (non-interactively) at remote learning sites, and a third indicated that they almost always used tests administered at on campus sites (i.e., distance education students travel to campus; Table 14). Fifteen percent of the institutions indicated that they almost always used tests individually mailed or faxed to students, and 8 percent of the institutions almost always used tests taken at remote sites interactively via computer, video, or telephone.

Training Opportunities for Faculty

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