1.31+Government+Regulations

What are the online requirements for a three credit course in the state of Pennsylvania?
 * Government Regulations:**

Penn code higher education chapter 31.21 b&d, 42.31 Semester 42 - 45 hours for 3 credit online class, depending on holiday Lab (or small group activity) is 2:1 ratio 2 hours of homework for every one hour of direct instruction

What are the 508 requirements for online learning (if any) in Pennsylvania? Are there other government regulations to consider for online learning?

**Research Methods:** = PA Department of Adult Education Website = Office of Postsecondary and Higher Education (OPHE) []

6) § 31.21 allows for determining activities that are "the equivalent" of classroom instruction. For example, if the course is offered in part via online technology, such as  WebCT or Blackboard, then the faculty as a whole need to agree upon criteria for  determining what online activities constitute the equivalent of classroom instruction for  uniform implementation across the institution. Establishing such criteria across the  institution and identifying the number of hours each activity would represent as  equivalent to instruction will help ensure that the amount of credit awarded per course  complies with Pennsylvania regulations.  To identify high quality curricular content that is the equivalent of classroom instruction,  the following should be considered. The activities that are the equivalent of classroom  instruction would best be:  directly related to the objectives of the course/program, be measurable for grading purposes, have the direct oversight or supervision of the faculty member teaching the course, and in some form be the equivalent of an activity conducted in the classroom. The equivalent content should not be: homework assignments ‘time spent’, that is, a calculation based on the amount of time the student spends accomplishing a task [] [] [] [] [] [] 

__At least 70%, but no more than 80%, of the program must consist of specialized instruction that bears directly upon the employment objectives of the program; and at least 20% of the program must consist of general education.__ 

(d) To assure academic integrity, an institution shall provide students in a distance education program access to academic and student services, including textbooks, study guides, library and other learning resources, personal interaction with faculty, tutors or other educational personnel by computer, telephone, mail or face-to-face meetings. The institution shall assure integrity of student work and provide opportunity for student assessment. These programs must comply with the regulations that apply to resident-based programs as prescribed in this chapter and Chapters 35, 36, 40 and 42 and conform to generally accepted academic practices for delivery of instruction through distance education.

The provisions of this § 31.21 amended under sections 2603-B and 2604-B of the Public School Code of 1949 (24 P. S. § § 26-2603-B and 26-2604-B); and section 1 of the act of August 13, 1963 (P. L. 698, No. 372) (24 P. S. § 2421) (Repealed).
 * Authority**

The provisions of this § 31.21 adopted April 30, 1982, effective May 1, 1982, 12 Pa.B. 1389; amended January 29, 1988, effective January 30, 1988, 18 Pa.B. 455; amended February 7, 1992, effective February 8, 1992, 22 Pa.B. 578; amended July 14, 2006, effective July 15, 2006, 36 Pa.B. 3650. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (244530) and (295069).
 * Source**

This section cited in 22 Pa. Code § 31.1 (relating to purpose and scope); 22 Pa. Code § 31.22 (relating to academic year); 22 Pa. Code § 31.33 (relating to student records and services); and 22 Pa. Code § 403.2 (relating to definitions).
 * Cross References**

Interview contact with the PA DOE
**Linda Lehman-Riley | Clerk Typist 3** **Ed Rech, Program chair**  Pennsylvania Department of Education - Bureau of Postsecondary Education, Occupational Training Schools  333 Market Street, 12th Fl | Harrisburg, PA 17126-0333  Phone: 717.783.8228 | Fax: 717.772.3622 | TTY: 717.783.8445  __00prvlic@psupen.psu.edu __ | __[|www.education.state.pa.us] __

Interview with Ed Rech, PDE program chair told me that I need to get a copy of the regulations from the school including Program Changes, act 174 of 1986, and copies of curriculum memorandums. If an online course is going to be given as a choice to the students, the catalog must clearly state it. If the intention of the school is to offer 25% or more of the courses online, they need to apply for a program change.

Has CSB applied for a program change with the state? If the intention of the school is to offer 25% or more of the courses online, they need to apply for a program change. If an online course is going to be given as a choice to the students, the catalog must clearly state it. The reason why I am asking is that if the school is applying for a program change, they will probably have set a specific number of online course hours to be equivalent.

__**ahapp@state.pa.us **__ 717-772-3623
 * Dr. Albert Happ, Division Chief**

Institutional Approvals __**cgisselqui@state.pa.us **__ 717-787-4448
 * Carol Gisselquist, Higher Education Associate**

Program Approval __**rniner@state.pa.us **__ 717-783-9239
 * Rodney Niner, Higher Education Associate**

Community College __**rdotts@state.pa.us **__ 717-705-7787
 * Michael Dotts, Higher Education Associate**

__**<span style="color: #033668; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font: normal normal normal xx-small/normal verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">shfrye@state.pa.us **__ 717-772-3622
 * Shirley Frye, Clerk Typist 3**

Curriculum Credit Hours For questions or concerns, please contact Dr. Albert C. Happ at 717-772-3623 or Ms. Carol M. D. Gisselquist at 717-787-4448.

<span style="color: #003366; display: block; float: left; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; padding: 5px; width: 711px;"> **For additional information, please contact:** **Tammy Keisling |** Pennsylvania Department of Education - Bureau of Career and Technical Education 333 Market Street | Harrisburg, PA 17126-0333 Phone: 717.787.5530 | Fax: 717.783.6672 __<span style="color: #003366; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font: normal normal normal xx-small/normal verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">tkeisling@state.pa.us __ | __<span style="color: #003366; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font: normal normal normal xx-small/normal verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">[|www.education.state.pa.us] __
 * <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font: normal normal normal xx-small/normal verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif; text-decoration: none;">

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=<span style="font-size: 1.4em; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;"> Federal Department of Education Website = =<span style="font-size: 1.4em; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;"> = <span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Standard (a) impacts individuals who are visually impaired. Descriptions of non-textual elements must be provided by the developer. Assistive technology is required and descriptions are typically verified by examination of the HTML code. Images do not need a verbal equivalent. Audio labeling is considered distracting as it often conflicts with the assistive software used by the reader. <span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">For decorative images that do not convey content or navigation, alt= " " is recommended enabling the screen reader to skips over distracting graphics. to be tested and can typiic. <span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Standard (b) impacts impaired individuals who require audio and text descriptions to be synchronized to visual multimedia. <span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Standard (b) affects the color blind. Avoid using color as an option for making a selection, such as “click on green for yes and red for no”. <span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Standard (d) applies to people with all disabilities. <span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Standard (e) applies to individuals who are blind. Developers shall provide redundant links, which are read with a screen reader. Assistive technology is required and descriptions are typically verified by examination of the HTML code. <span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Hot spots on client-side image maps can read by visually impaired users if they are labeled with the alt attribute. Labels for the hot spots can be verified with a screen reader or through examination of the underlying code. <span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Jaws and other screen readers associates row and column headers with corresponding cells. Additional details: []<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> <span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The Access Board issues guidance on proper frame titling techniques. <span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Non-utility verification of the inaccessible page should be tested with a screen reader. <span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Scripts should be constructed to yield functional text for capturing by the screen reader. <span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Plug-ins must comply with 508 standards with links provided. <span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Standard N assists the blind because it impacts their ability for accurately filling out forms on the web and should be tested with a screen reader: Additional details: []<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> <span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Standard P is designed to allow assistance to persons with mobility impairments to be alerted and extend the time if necessary.
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">1194.22 Web-based intranet and Internet information and applications. **<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“(a) A text equivalent for every non-text element shall be provided (e.g., via "alt", "longdesc", or in element content).” **
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“(b) Equivalent alternatives for any multimedia presentation shall be synchronized with the presentation.” **<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“(c) Web pages shall be designed so that all information conveyed with color is also available without color, for example from context or markup.” **<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> “(d) Documents shall be organized so they are readable without requiring an associated style sheets.” **<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> “(e) Redundant text links shall be provided for each active region of a server-side image map.” **<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“(f) Client-side image maps shall be provided instead of server-side image maps except where the regions cannot be defined with an available geometric shape.” **<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“(g) Row and column headers shall be identified for data tables.” and “(h) Markup shall be used to associate data cells and header cells for data tables that have two or more logical levels of row or column headers.” **<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“(i) Frames shall be titled with text that facilitates frame identification and navigation.” **<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“(j) Pages shall be designed to avoid causing the screen to flicker with a frequency greater than 2 Hz and lower than 55 Hz.” **<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Advanced: **<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Some seizure disorders may be triggered by material blinking within the specified range.
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> “(k) A text-only page, with equivalent information or functionality, shall be provided to make a web site comply with the provisions of this part, when compliance cannot be accomplished in any other way. The content of the text-only page shall be updated whenever the primary page changes.” **<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“(l) When pages utilize scripting languages to display content, or to create interface elements, the information provided by the script shall be identified with functional text that can be read by assistive technology.” **<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“(m) When a web page requires that an applet, plug-in or other application be present on the client system to interpret page content, the page must provide a link to a plug-in or applet that complies with 1194.21(a) through (l).” **<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“(n) When electronic forms are designed to be completed on-line, the form shall allow people using assistive technology to access the information, field elements, and functionality required for completion and submission of the form, including all directions and cues.” **<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> “(o) A method shall be provided that permits users to skip repetitive navigation links.” **<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Advanced: **<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> Standard (o) allows repetitive information at the top of each page to be skipped each time a page is loaded. Standard O allows the mobility impaired to click on a "skip navigation" button and assists those who want to skip directly to page content.
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> “(p) When a timed response is required, the user shall be alerted and given sufficient time to indicate more time is required.” **<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">