Organization Description The Web of Asynchronous Learning Networks The Web of Asynchronous Learning Networks (ALN-WEB) is maintained by the ALN Center at Vanderbilt University. In addition to serving as the home of the Journal of ALN and ALN magazine, ALN-WEB serves as an online forum for the community of ALN researchers and practitioners. Many of the participants are involved with programs funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. Educause EDUCAUSE focuses on the management and use of computational, network, and information resources in support of higher education's missions of scholarship, instruction, service, and administration. Through a variety of policy initiatives and demonstration projects, EDUCAUSE conceives and organizes the necessary technical and policy infrastructure to support higher education's continued renewal. The Western Cooperative for Educational Telecommunications The Western Cooperative for Educational Telecommunications is a membership-based organization open to providers and users of educational telecommunications. Established in 1989, the Western Cooperative facilitates resource sharing, information sharing, and policy advocacy in the use of educational technologies and telecommunications. Members come from higher education, non-profit organizations, K-12 schools, and corporations located in 33 states, Canada, Malaysia, and Norway. Association for the Advancement of Computers in Education The Association (founded in 1981) is an international, educational, and professional organization dedicated to the advancement of the knowledge, theory, and quality of learning and teaching at all levels with information technology. This is accomplished through the encouragement of scholarly inquiry related to information technology in education and the dissemination of research results and their applications. United States Distance Learning Association The United States Distance Learning Association is a non-profit association formed in 1987. The association's purpose is to promote the development and application of distance learning for education and training. Constituents include K through 12 education, higher education, continuing education, corporate training, and military and government training. The NODE Learning Technologies Network The NODE Learning Technologies Network is a not-for-profit electronic network facilitating information and resource sharing, collaboration and research in the field of learning technologies in post-secondary education and training. The functions of the NODE are to gather and disseminate information in areas of need; to offer professional development activities; to facilitate collaboration among universities and colleges; and to research issues and practices in technologically mediated teaching and learning. Telelearning Network Centres of Excellence The Telelearning Network of Centres of Excellence actively stimulates and tracks leading telelearning research advances in collaboration with university and industry partners throughout the world. Over 120 researchers from across Canada are evaluating the effectiveness of new learning models, analyzing the cost benefits and social impacts of implementing telelearning, and creating telelearning software prototypes, based on innovative learning models. Distance Education Online Symposium The Distance Education Online Symposium was established in 1991 by The American Center for the Study of Distance Education at Penn State, with support from the Annenberg/CPB Project. The symposium comprises DEOSNEWS, an electronic journal for distance educators, and DEOS-L, an electronic forum. The purpose of DEOS is to disseminate information and to support international computer conferencing through systems accessible to professionals and students in the field of distance education. Multimedia Educational Resource for Learning and Online Training Multimedia Educational Resource for Learning and Online Training (MERLOT) is a collection of peer reviewed online teaching and learning materials. Members can share advice and expertise about education with expert colleagues and be recognized for contributions to quality education. Western Cooperative for Educational Telecommunications The Western Cooperative for Educational Telecommunications provides a collection of innovative thinking regarding the use of educational technology. Instructional Technology Council The Instructional Technology Council provides leadership, information and resources to expand and enhance distance learning through the effective use of technology. National Center for Telecommunications Technology The National Center for Telecommuncations Technology is leading a national collaborative of businesses and education partners to develop and disseminate an always relevant, industry driven curriculum to teach and train tomorrow’s ICT technicians and technologists. Distance Education Training Council The Distance Education Training Council Accrediting Commission’s scope is the accreditation of institutions offering programs primarily by the distance education method up through the first professional degree level.