Clifton Jones didn’t think college was a good fit for him because visual handicaps had always made the learning process a difficult one. Instead of college, Jones pursued a vocational education and worked in facilities management. But, after years of thinking college was out of the question, the 54-year-old Jones found an online program through the School for New Learning at DePaul University that fits him like a glove.

Unlike most students who meet in classrooms or who may take one or two classes via distance learning, Jones will be one of the first students to earn a degree completely online though SNL’s Center for Distance Education. He will fulfill all the requirements to earn a degree without ever stepping foot on one of DePaul’s campuses.

“I have a visual handicap--partial blindness and dyslexia along with a tracking problem,” said Jones, who will concentrate on facilities management in college. “These in combination have prevented me from keeping up with the class in the traditional classroom setting. The distance education program works so well for me because it allows me to work at my own pace. Also, I’m looking to relocate to the West Coast within the next year and the online program will allow me to continue my studies without interruption.”

Convenience and independence are just two reasons SNL’s online program has captured the attention of students like Jones. DePaul established SNL 30 years ago to meet the specific needs of adult learners who often must balance jobs, family and school. The new online program offers adult students innovative educational options and puts SNL among the ranks of a growing number of university programs in the United States that offer bachelor’s degrees online.

According to research by Merrill Lynch, online learning accounted for only $1.2 billion of the $249 billion higher education industry in 1999, but by 2003 distance education is expected to represent $7 billion of the industry. Nearly 800 prospective students from around the globe have inquired about earning degrees through SNL.

SNL’s distance education classes are designed to mirror courses taught on campus. Instructors present the same content online that they teach when they are standing in front of a campus classroom. The major difference is that distance education students can participate in classes when it is most convenient to them and they interact with instructors and classmates via e-mail and chat rooms.

Online students have the same access to instructors, reference materials and classroom discussions as students registered in traditional courses. Instead of traveling to campus, however, they simply log onto the Internet to participate in classes or tap into resources, which allows them the flexibility to attend school when it is most convenient.

“Students study at their own pace,” said Andrea Spreter, associate director for distance education at SNL. “There is a certain date and time that assignments are due to instructors and students are required to participate in online discussions, but they can manage their time to meet the deadlines without having to be in class on a fixed day and time.”

Teaching classes online also gives instructors an opportunity to teach in a unique environment and to witness how differently students learn. “In a classroom people often feel pressure to formulate ideas quickly and contribute to class discussions,” said Kenn Skorupa, an instructor and academic advisor who has been teaching online courses for three years. “It’s nice that students in the online setting can sit back and really think about their responses when participating in online discussions.”

More information about SNL’s distance learning program can be found at www.snlonline.net, or by calling 312/362-8821.