The need to deliver instruction to more than one location at the same time may call for the use of two-way interactive TV (2-way audio-video) delivery system (ITV). The North Carolina Information Highway (NCIH) or the North Carolina Research and Education Network (NC-REN) is available for 2-way ITV delivery; however, time must be booked well in advance (up to 18 months) of the semester in which the use is planned. Typically, the use of ITV to deliver instruction is part of the overall program planning process as it must be addressed in SACS approval and General Administration authorization documents. If ITV need arises, the Distance Education Office should be made aware of it, but usage dates and times are booked directly by the department or faculty member through Interactive Video Services (IVS).

ITV delivery is generally perceived as the closest thing to face-to-face instruction, but it is very different in many respects, and faculty should take this into account. For example, humor that is very engaging in a classroom may fall flat and even offend if the viewers cannot see the body language or get the nuanced facial expressions of the person making the joke. The following paragraph offers some very general guidance; however, faculty members who will be using ITV to deliver instruction may also want to do some web searches on TV presentation skills as many of those skills are invaluable in holding student attention.

General guidance for faculty who will be teaching via ITV:

Ask LTS for guidance on what clothing colors (some colors make the instructor blend into the background) and textile patterns work best (some patterns can be problematic). They should also be aware that class times are firm and non-negotiable, so instruction should be carefully planned (when the time is up, the session ends even if someone is mid-sentence). They should send handouts to the students well in advance of the class session for which they are needed, so that students have time to receive and print them. Faculty members who typically move around a great deal during lectures may need to practice remaining more or less stationary while delivering instruction. Be aware of the need to allow interaction between and input from the students at the receiving end of the transmission and to watch for signs that someone has a question or needs assistance.