Chapter 7: Actualizing Accessibility In E-Learning (At A University)

Kansas State University, founded in 1863 as a Land Grant institution, serves some 19,000 students and 4,000 post-graduates. It has a thriving e-learning program through the Division of Continuing Education that involves hundreds of courses a semester with thousands of students. It also offers automated non-credit trainings for individuals in various career fields for professional development.

This use of online learning started in earnest in 2000 and was supported through the efforts of many from various campus entities. The Office of Mediated Education (OME) created the homegrown learning/course management system (L/CMS) known as Axio™, which is called K-State Online. This Information Technology (IT) office constantly improves on the technologies offered to support both learning and research. The Information Technology Assistance Center (iTAC) offers helpdesk supports to students, faculty, and staff related to online learning; it also manages technology-based studio classrooms and offers multimedia development support services and instructional design support to the campus through the Media Development Center.