AUSTIN — Austin Community College received a grant award for $477,196 from the Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund (TIF) Board for technology enhancements that will give distance-learning students more access to ACC’s courses and services.

“The main function of this grant is to expand ACC’s offerings to students in remote locations,” said Richard Smith, ACC’s dean of instructional technology and faculty development. “Without TIF grants, our technology infrastructure would be greatly behind because we aren’t able to do this with standard college operating funds.”

To date, ACC has received $1,862,160 in TIF grant awards to enhance its technology infrastructure.

The ACC grant proposal recommended strategies to strengthen its existing infrastructure to better assist with accomplishing some of the goals established in Closing the Gaps, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s plan to close educational gaps in student participation, student success, research, and excellence.

“Technology is becoming commonplace for students throughout Texas,” TIF’s Executive Director Dirk Jameson said. “By collaborating with higher education institutions, TIF is fostering an infrastructure that can assist in ‘Closing the Gaps’ for all students. The outcomes of this grant will have positive implications on education and lifelong learning for years to come.”

During the 2001-2002 academic year, 21,299 students enrolled in distance learning courses at ACC. This is a dramatic increase from the 13,750 who took virtual classes in 1997-1998. Students taking telecommunications courses serve as the fourth largest ACC campus, albeit a virtual one.

Project goals include developing online certificate and degree programs in allied health sciences, human services, and visual communications; adding an additional IVC classroom at the ACC Eastview Campus; upgrading existing IVC classroom technology; and increasing student completion and university transfer rates by providing online services to distance-learning students that are comparable to services offered to campus-based students. These measures are designed to encourage people in under-served rural and urban areas to take advantage of ACC’s educational opportunities and to assist those already enrolled with completing their degree.