Educational Settings —

Off-site educational resources can augment or replace other forms of education. With new technologies allowing interactive education with an out-of-area instructor, gifted children who may live on a mountaintop in New England can take AP academic courses, learn Japanese and much more!

Some public school systems have instituted distance-learning programs to accommodate students in rural public schools with teacher shortages. Students who had very few educational opportunities were not simply brought up to speed, but offered an impressive array of academic classes which have attracted the attention of out-of-state institutions and independent learners.

This is just one example of a growing number of distance-learning opportunities for independent students and students who live too far from schools with curricula to match their needs. For these out-of-area students, the completed credits are applied to the local school district without hassle. Students watch a satellite-televised instructional program and then may phone or email the instructor. Although this type of program is not designed strictly for gifted children, many gifted students use the program for its acceleration opportunity. For example, children in the "seventh grade" and above can enroll in the AP English and AP Calculus classes.

Major universities offer distance-learning resources for gifted children as well. Their programs are typically an intensive, well-supported offering of a wide variety of on-line classes. Credit for these courses is recorded as Continuing Studies Program credits and generally may be applied toward a secondary school diploma, depending on the policy of the individual school system.

There are several publications offering guidance to distance-learning programs available through bookstores, online booksellers and at the local college and public libraries. When searching for academic packages, look into programs which offer DETC accreditation (Distance Education and Training Council), which is through the Federal Department of Education. Make sure the program also has regional accreditations, as those are considered even more important.