Student Satisfaction with Two-Way Interactive Distance Learning for Delivery of Early Childhood Special Education Coursework

Two-way interactive television (ITV) can be a viable alternative to traditional course delivery in Early Childhood Special Education. ITV involves students and faculty at different locations in the live transmission of two way auditory and visual signals simultaneously between sites. Two preservice master's level courses in Early Childhood Special Education, Characteristics of Young Children with Disabilities and Methods of Young Children with Disabilities, were taught twice across two academic years through distance learning using ITV Results from structured telephone surveys evaluating student satisfaction with ITV are presented. Factors critical to the successful implementation of an ITV model are discussed and include establishing a collaborative learning environment, providing an experienced instructor who can promote interaction, promoting a support system for ITV within and across institutions of higher education, and assuring high quality and delivery of the technology used.