In 1997 a Health Resources and Services Administration ( HRSA) grant was awarded to the Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences (CLS) at The University of Texas Medical Branch - Galveston (UTMB) for support of the Laboratory Education and Advancement Project (LEAP). The project entailed three primary objectives, targeting laboratory practitioners in rural and medically underserved areas of Texas for delivering a bachelor's degree, laboratory-intensive course of study via distance education. Several delivery mechanisms were utilized and evaluated for their effectiveness and friendliness to both the faculty and students. The authors discuss and describe the mechanisms utilized for delivery of courses, the advantages and disadvantages encountered with each mechanism, and subjective evaluation of the effectiveness of the courses. Also discussed are the lessons learned and plans for future development.
['Cynthia Martine', 'Vicki S. Freeman']
Combining Technologies to Deliver Distance Education