What Are the Changes Being Proposed?

In March 1998, the Department of Education sent its proposal to Congress to broaden the opportunities for distance education students by expanding who could receive student aid. If passed, here is what would be accomplished:

• Encourage innovative uses of technology by institutions.
• Ensure integrity of courses and programs.
• Ensure students get what they pay for.
• Ensure taxpayer dollars will be well spent.
• Expand institutional and student aid eligibility.
• Eliminate the different treatments in cost of attendance between distance learners and on-campus learners.
• Ensure quality through accreditation of distance education courses.
• Remove the 50 percent limitation and restriction at degree-granting institutions. Currently, those institutions offering more than 50 percent distance education courses or have more than 50 percent students who are distance learners are ineligible to participate in the Title IV student aid programs.
• Eliminate the differences in cost of attendance treatments between distance learners and on-campus learners. Currently, distance learners can't get living allowances. Under Title IV, they would, just as the law allows for students who live at home.
• Allow the cost of equipment, including computers, to be included in a distance learner's cost of attendance.