Abstract:
The Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) is a private 4-year college in upstate New York with approximately 15,000 students (http://www.rit.edu/facts.html). RIT is comprised of eight colleges and is focused on providing technical and professional career training. As the demand for workers with these skills has grown, so has RIT. Distance learning at RIT started in earnest in 1979 with telecourses. The goal then as it is now is to make learning more accessible to students. In the mid-1980’s we began incorporating email and online discussion boards into telecourses. By 1991, RIT had started completely online distance learning programs and courses. In 2002, RIT brought online learning technologies and pedagogy into the mainstream of campus.