INA, Ill. (Feb. 2, 2015) - Rend Lake College and several surrounding high schools are receiving an upgrade to their videoconferencing equipment, thanks to the 2014 Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant Project, administered by the Rural Utilities Service.
The $439,425 grant will be divided between four Southern Illinois Collegiate Common Market (SICCM) members - RLC, Kaskaskia College, Shawnee Community College, and Southeastern Illinois College - and Southern Illinois University Carbondale to install and upgrade videoconferencing equipment in the surrounding area.
RLC will upgrade current equipment on the main Ina campus and the Murphy-Wall Pinckneyville Campus. Additional funds will upgrade equipment at Thompsonville, Waltonville, Wayne City, and Webber Township high schools, as well as install new, state-of-the-art equipment at Hamilton County High School.
“Most of the videoconferencing equipment in the Rend Lake College district is approximately 10 years old,†said Andrea Witthoft, Vice President of Institutional Effectiveness. “Due to the age of the current equipment, technical failures have increased over the past few years and these issues impact the quality of the teaching and learning experiences. The participating SICCM institutions are very grateful to receive the funding to replace the aging equipment.â€
The Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant Program is designed to assist rural communities in obtaining distance learning and telemedical technologies for local teachers to utilize.
The grant funds will connect community college faculty, high school teachers, and high school and adult students for the delivery of college-level courses, thus improving dual enrollment partnerships and enhancing college course offerings at several extension sites. This videoconferencing technology can help to reduce transportation and distance barriers for rural community residents while increasing their access to a college education.
For more information, contact Rend Lake College at 618-437-5321.