Member Benefits
The name of this organization says it all. ACCESS is the leading network of Christian organizations and individuals characterized by a commitment to make education accessible.
ACCESS, the Association for Christian distance education, has been in existence since 1971. ACCESS adopted its constitution and bylaws in 1976. It was incorporated in 1977. ACCESS has historically been known for its annual conferences, held at various locations around the country. ACCESS conferences are an excellent opportunity for networking and sharing current events in the field of Christian distance education.
ACCESS has recently shifted some priorities and is now poised to provide renewed direction for this field. The new mission statement for ACCESS is to provide leadership in the field of Christian distance education. Such a statement serves as a rationale for why we do what we do as a professional organization. Our purpose is to provide leadership through resources, community, and promotion.
ACCESS exists in part to expand our reach to include all forms of distance and nontraditional forms of education. As Christians we need to be more intentional about expanding our reach locally, nationally, and internationally. One of our responsibilities as Christians is to be co-missioners with Christ in the mission of the church.
ACCESS recognizes that the need to provide education extends beyond any single delivery system. Institutional members include seminaries and colleges with distance education programs, colleges and programs that focus on adult learners, distance education institutions, and other agencies that provide curriculum or support for leadership development and lay training. Some members utilize the latest technology for online seminars, while others rely on correspondence courses with taped lectures and printed study guides. Individual members are leaders in the field of innovation and effectiveness in education.
ACCESS is a unique organization but in order to remain viable and sustainable, we will need to continue ways of creating and maintaining community. This can be done in a number of ways including conferences, webinars, and regular forms of communication. We must be intentional about the formation of a community of scholars.
ACCESS benefits include:
Access to current research and scholarship in distance education and Christian distance education
Dissemination of information related to Christian distance education
Networking and collaboration
Professional development opportunities
Addressing uniquely Christian forms of distance education
Partnering with other organizations
If you wish to become part of ACCESS, we encourage you to apply for membership as an institution or individual. Otherwise, feel free to contact us for more information.
If you see yourself or your institution benefiting from what ACCESS has to offer, consider becoming a member today!
Become a Member
ACCESS is excited to announce the 2012 Annual Conference
DATE: March 28-30, 2012
LOCATION: Columbia South Carolina
HOST: Columbia University
The Course-of-the-Year Awards, is co-sponsored by ACCESS and Christianity Today International. .
Since ACCESS is a member organization, we're looking for individuals interested in serving in various capacities. Such areas include event planning, workshop presenting, Nominating Committee, COTY Awards, and member recruitment. Contact any of us Executive Committee to get plugged in!