The rural communities in northwest Wisconsin were in need of a way to bring educational opportunities to their high schools and adult populations. Delivering courses over an instructional television network was an answer to this problem. If a few students in several different communities were interested in the same course, the total enrollment numbers would be high enough to allow this course to be delivered via the ITV network. Students could stay in their own high school or community to receive this instruction instead of traveling many miles to a technical college, university, or another high school.
Technology assists our rural students with their distance learning courses.
Students and instructors talk to each other using microphones and see each other using cameras and tv monitors. A document camera takes the place of a chalkboard and a fax machine helps course materials to be sent between sites. The Northern Lights Network utilizes switched, digital fiber optic technology which provides for full motion video and audio transmission. Service to Northern Lights Network is provided by a number of local telephone companies whose efforts are managed and integrated by Access Wisconsin. Both networks are J series DS3 fiber optic networks.