Academic, administrative, and other support services are provided in a variety of ways to distance education students. Please review the information below and share it with your students as appropriate or necessary.

Disability Accommodations and Support:

The Office of Disability Services (ODS) responds to the needs of extension/distance education students with the same care and concern provided students on the main campus. While the initial orientation provided by the Distance Education Program Manager makes students aware of the ODS and how to request services, faculty may be approached by students seeking accommodations or may suspect that a student needs accommodations. When Students seek out a faculty member they should be directed to contact the ODS. When a faculty member wishes to alert ODS to a student who may need services but is reluctant to contact ODS, the faculty member can simply contact ODS by phone or email. Faculty members should be aware that the official provision of disability services requires the completion of a request and documentation, and thus, the ODS is best equipped to provide the information and guidance needed for the provision and arrangement of the appropriate service and support.

Student Textbook Information and Ordering:

Students are introduced to the textbook information and ordering processes during their initial orientation. They are urged to purchase their books according to the information provided in Banner Course. They may purchase their books from the campus bookstore or any other vendor; however, due to the logistics associated with rental and return the textbook rental fee is not assessed on extension course enrollments; therefore, extension students are not eligible to participate in the ASU Bookstore rental program.

Tutoring Assistance:

The Office of Distance Education contracts with SmarThinking to provide academic tutoring in a wide variety of academic discipline subject areas (with the exception of composition and writing assistance which is provided by Appalachian's Writing Center). Students are frequently reminded of the availability of this support service and are provided with the directions for accessing it through their AppalNet accounts. Faculty are urged to mention the SmarThinking support to their classes and to encourage students who appear to be struggling to make use of it. Click here for a link to the SmarThinking Faculty Handbook [pdf 38k]. SmarThinking webinars for students are announced to students as they are scheduled.

Writing Assistance:

Appalachian's Writing Center offers full service writing assistance to all distance education students in a variety of ways. Students are frequently reminded of this service. They can access it through the Writing Center's webpages or through links in Appalnet. Faculty are strongly encouraged to refer students to the service.