Income and Employment Support Act
Income Support, Training and Health Benefits Regulation Section 1(1) (e)
Training Provider Regulation Section 2

INTENT 

The Government of Alberta supports learners participating in training delivered by a synchronous e-learning model which facilitates learners’ successful completion of training programs approved for delivery by e-learning and achievement of planned employment or further education outcomes. These goals are consistent with the Income and Employment Supports Act, the Training Provider Regulation and the Income Support, Training and Health Benefits Regulation. Synchronous e-learning involves real-time learner/teacher interaction, via the Internet, between a learner and an instructor who are physically separated from each other.

Synchronous e-learning is an alternate method of delivery of an approved training program. In addition to the E-learning Method of Delivery policy and procedures below, all Learner Policies and Procedures and all Employment and Training Programs Policies and Procedures pertaining to Skills Investment Programs which apply to classroom-based delivery of an approved program, also apply to synchronous e-learning delivery of the program.

POLICY

For a Government of Alberta learner to access a tuition-based program with 30% or more of coursework delivered by synchronous e-learning, the program must be approved by the Government of Alberta for delivery by e-learning.  The approval for delivery by e-learning is separate and distinct from program approval.

E-learning programs approved by Advanced Education do not need to be approved by the Government of Alberta for delivery by e-learning.  Government of Alberta approved programs with less than 30% of coursework being delivered by synchronous e-learning also do not need to be approved for delivery by e-learning.  

Government of Alberta decisions regarding suitability of contract based training programs for delivery by e-learning reside within each Employment Services Delivery Region and this decision-making is a Government of Alberta contracting business process.  Government of Alberta decisions regarding suitability of tuition based training programs for delivery by e-learning reside within the area responsible for program approval; this decision making is a separate process which occurs either at or after program approval or renewal decisions are made.

Service Plans approved by Regional Directors as a Single Program delivered by synchronous e-learning for a Unique Learner may be approved for provision of tuition and books only.

Eligible Training Activities and Programs

The Government of Alberta may accept synchronous e-learning as a method of delivery for coursework components of approved contract based and tuition based Work Foundations and Training for Work Programs.  Synchronous e-learning is not accepted as a method of delivery for work experience placements, nor for any other components of approved training that are otherwise delivered via practicum or work experience.

Basic literacy and computer literacy skills are necessary for learners to effectively participate in training delivered via e-learning, therefore approved programs which identify these skills as learning outcomes or objectives may not be suitable for delivery via synchronous e-learning as determined through the program approval process.

For a program to be approved by the Government of Alberta for delivery by e-learning, the program must meet the following conditions for approval:

1. The program is an approved training program as defined by the Income and Employment Supports Act and regulation, and
   
2. The program is being delivered by an Alberta-based training provider, that is a provider whose primary campus or training facility is permanently located in Alberta, and
   
3. Delivery of the program by e-learning is supported by the Community and Social Services Delivery Region in which the Training Provider is located, and
   
4. The program is being delivered by a provider with experience delivering training by e-learning, appropriate infrastructure and expertise for this method of delivery, and accessible supports for students participating in training by delivered by e-learning.  These providers include:
   
   
   1. Members of eCampus Alberta
   2. Members of Alberta North Consortium
   3. Alberta Distance Learning Centre
   4. Public schools 
   5. Public universities
      or
      

5. The program is being delivered by another provider in partnership with one of the providers identified in 4, above, or

6. The program is being delivered by a provider who demonstrates, to the satisfaction of the Government of Alberta, suitability to deliver the program by synchronous e-learning.  The following factors will be considered in the Government of Alberta's assessment, and need to be submitted by the provider:

• previous experience delivering training by e-learning: including the number of full-time learners who started a comparable program delivered by e-learning within the past two years; the percentage of those who successfully completed the program; and rates of learner satisfaction with the program;
• synchronous technologies (webcasting platform, virtual classroom software) which enable learners to interact with each other and with the instructor through features such as whiteboard, chat, instant messaging, and audio conferencing which will be utilized;
• relevant training and/or experience of persons designing instructional materials; 
• instructors’ training and/or experience in online delivery methods and techniques; 
• learning management system which will be utilized; 
• technical , instructional, and library supports which will be accessible to learners; and
• accessibility for learners with disabilities

Responsibility for Costs Associated with E-Learning

The Government of Alberta covers the same training costs and financial benefits for learners participating in training by e-learning as for learners participating in training by classroom delivery. 

For eCampusAlberta Learners, the Government of Alberta also covers mandatory fees charged by eCampusAlberta, to a maximum of $300 per academic year.

Learners are responsible for any costs associated with computers and internet access.

Tuition based training providers are responsible for all costs associated with e-learning course/program development and delivery that are not included in approved program tuition and prescribed fees.

Contract-based training providers are responsible for all incremental costs associated with developing and delivering a program or portion of a program by e-learning rather than classroom delivery.

PROCEDURE

Tuition Based Training

Training Provider: for each program that a Training Provider is interested in delivering by e-learning, the provider will complete a Request to Deliver Approved Training Program by E-learning form and submit to the Government of Alberta through the submission instructions available on the form. 

Government of Alberta: reviews Request to Deliver Approved Training Program by E-learning forms, and for all programs except approved Occupational Training programs, determines, within 3 months of receiving the request, whether the request can be approved. The Government of Alberta communicates the decision to the Training Provider.

Government of Alberta Official: based on the Employability Assessment, recommends Alberta Works Income Support for Learners for eligible learners accepted to programs delivered by synchronous e-learning which have been approved by the Government of Alberta. Learners who have been accepted into Government of Alberta approved programs should not be recommended for Alberta Works Income Support for Learners unless the programs have been approved by the Government of Alberta for delivery by e-learning. Authorized Officials also need to complete the Declaration of Alberta Locality During a Training Period with all learners accepted into training delivered by synchronous e-learning who are recommended for Alberta Works Income Support for Learners. The declaration must then be submitted to the Learner Income Support Office (LISO) with the application.

Contract Based Training

Each program selection committee will assess any Work Foundations or Training for Work program proposals which involve the Training Provider delivering 30% or more of program coursework by synchronous e-learning as per conditions for approval for delivery by synchronous e-learning, above.