Journal of Online Learning Research and Practice
within higher education ( Zapalska & Patel , 2002 ) and greatly expanded the ability of many organizations to provide multimedia-based programming without having to build their own internet-based delivery systems . WebCT , developed by the University of British Columbia , launched in 1996 . Blackboard , founded in 1997 , acquired WebCT in 2005 ( Empson , 2012 ). Since the early 2000s , LMS platforms have provided a foundational component of online education for IHEs and K-12 education , with extended LMS platform choices including , but not limited to , Canvas , Desire2Learn , Moodle , and Schoology .
Emerging Terminology and U . S . Department of Education Definitions
During the late 1990s to 2010 , new terminology accompanied the growth of distance education . Dr . Badrul Khan first coined and popularized the phrase “ web-based instruction ” in his 1997 book Web-Based Instruction ( Corbeil & Corbeil , 2015 ). Elliot Masie , founder of The MASIE Center , first professionally referenced “ e-learning ” in the 1999 special report The ‘ e ’ in e-learning Stands for ‘ E ’ xperience ( Masie , n . d .; Masie , 1999 ).
On October 27 , 2009 , the U . S . Department of Education provided definitions for distance education and correspondence education as part of the Institutional Eligibility Under the Higher Education Act of 1965 , as Amended , and the Secretary ’ s Recognition of Accrediting Agencies ; Final Rule ( U . S . Department of Education , 2009 ). These definitions remained essentially the same between 2009 and 2020 ( see Tables 1 and 2 ).
According to the Federal Student Aid Handbook AY 2019-20 ( 2019 ), “ If a school offers more than 50 % of its courses by correspondence or if 50 % or more of its students are enrolled in its correspondence courses , the school loses its eligibility to participate in the FSA programs ” ( p . 37 ). It is important to understand the differences between the definitions for distance education and correspondence education , since classifications affect Title IV eligibility and funding .
In 2020 , the Office of Postsecondary Education put forth a proposal “ to amend the general , establishing eligibility , maintaining eligibility , and losing eligibility sections of the Institutional Eligibility regulations issued under the Higher Education Act of 1965 , as amended ( HEA ), related to distance education and innovation ” ( U . S . Department of Education , 2020 , para . 3 ). The proposal intended to “ reduce barriers to innovation in ways in which institutions deliver educational materials and opportunities to students ” and to revise “ outdated technologies ” ( U . S . Department of Education , 2020 , para . 9 ). Furthermore , the proposal provided greater clarity on the requirements of “ regular and substantive interaction between instructors for a course to be considered distance education and not a correspondence course ” ( U . S . Department of Education , 2020 , para . 11 ). WCET ( 2020 ) provided detailed posts regarding the 2019 Negotiated Rulemaking process and proposed regulations in April 2020 , with a detailed update in
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