Distance Learning

Taking some or all of your classes in a distance learning format (online, web-assisted, or hybrid) may allow you to overcome some of the obstacles that prevent you from taking a seated/traditional class. For example, you may need to work a full-time job or stay at home with children while pursuing your degree at Isothermal Community College. Workloads for distance learning courses are comparable to traditional courses, but the delivery method utilizes a variety of technologies in an online environment.

Students enrolling in a program to take distance learning courses must complete the admissions requirements for the program first. Once the admissions steps are complete, you may then complete the registration process for the distance learning course. In order to facilitate the registration process, make sure you meet all of the requirements to be an online student at Isothermal Community College. Please review the list of technical requirements, a link from this web page. These are considered basic skills required to be successful in a distance learning course. In some courses, specific technology is required to complete the course work. Contact the course instructor to identify technology needs in the course, such as specific products and versions.

After registering for the distance learning course, your instructor will make the course material available to you within Moodle on the first day of the semester. If course materials are not available on the first day of the semester, you should contact your instructor immediately (by email or some other method). If you do not hear from your instructor within 24 hours, you should contact the Help Desk at 828-395-1437.

Students enrolled in Distance Learning courses must complete the mandatory course enrollment activity on the first day of the term. Failure to complete the mandatory course enrollment activity could result in removal from the course.

Online Learning Resources

Online Library Resources

Tutoring Center

Writing Center

Additional resources are provided on-demand in Moodle for current students. Your Moodle username and login are required to access the resources housed in Moodle. You will find the courses below on your My courses list in Moodle:

The Student Bridge provides a self-assessment to measure your online readiness as well as information and tutorials about technologies such as Moodle and email.
The Tutoring Center provides assistance to all types of tutoring needs, including course specific tutoring needs for courses such as math, chemistry, and biology. In addition to the online Tutoring Center course in Moodle, students can visit the Tutoring Center in room 142-B of the Administration Building or request a video conference. No appointment necessary.
The Writing Center provides assistance to all types of writing-based activities, including research, paper formatting, study skills, reading comprehension, and public speaking. In addition to the online Writing Center course in Moodle, students can visit the Writing Center in Room 211 of the Administration Building. No appointment necessary.

Student Support

Technical Support is provided for students through the IT Help Desk. Assistance is available for usernames, passwords, email, Moodle, Patriot Port, and other Isothermal provided technologies. Students are encouraged to email icchelpdesk@isothermal.edu at any time or call 828.395.1437 during regular business hours. Students wishing face-to-face assistance may come by the Help Desk in the IT Building or request a video conference.

Enrolling In Online Courses If You Live Outside The State of NC

Isothermal Community College is a participant in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC SARA) and through this participation is authorized to offer online courses to students located in NC SARA-member states and territories, which includes 49 states (excluding CA), the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

In addition to NC SARA participation, Isothermal Community College is authorized by the state of California to offer online course to students located in the state of California. This authorization was requested and obtained outside of the NC SARA membership.

If you are an out-of-state student located somewhere other than one of the fifty US states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands, contact the Coordinator of Technology-Enhanced Learning, jjames@isothermal.edu, to ensure that appropriate state authorization is in place.

What is State Authorization?

State Authorization is a legal issue dealing with a college's adherence to state requirements for colleges to secure authorization to offer instruction in that state. Compliance with individual state requirements is now part of the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, Amended 2010. Institutions offering distance education courses or programs must provide current and prospective students with the contact information for filing a complaint with the college, its accrediting agency, and with state agencies that handle complaints in the students' location. In compliance with state and federal regulations, Isothermal Community College is working towards state authorization in states where its students are located.

Professional Licensure

Certain Isothermal Community College academic programs prepare students to sit for applicable licensure and/or certification examinations in North Carolina. In order to comply with the U.S. Department of Education regulations regarding distance education and professional licensure, Isothermal Community College is required to make the following disclosures with respect or certification outside the state of North Carolina.

General Disclosure

General Disclosure seeks to identify whether the Isothermal Community College program meets the specific state, province, or territory educational requirements for licensure. Each program listed below is a link to a document to provide this information and professional licensure board contact information for each state, province, or territory.

Student Grievance Procedure for In-State and Out-of-State Students

Isothermal Community College desires to resolve all student complaints and concerns in a timely, fair, and amicable manner. Students who desire to resolve a complaint should follow the Complaint Procedure, as outlined in Policy No. 601-02-02BP: Written Student Complaint Policy. This policy and procedure apply to all students, regardless of their location.

Sandra Lackner, Dean of Students
Address: PO Box 804 Spindale, NC 28160
Email: slackner@isothermal.edu
Telephone: 828-395-1429

If the complaint cannot be resolved after exhausting the grievance procedure at Isothermal Community College, the individual may file a complaint with the state in which they are located. In North Carolina, the University of North Carolina System Office (UNC-System Office) is the agency which handles such complaints. The Student Complaint Process and the Student Complaint Form may be found at the NC Post-Secondary Education Complaints website. Please review their policy, print and complete the form, and mail it to:

North Carolina Post-Secondary Education Complaints
c/0 Student Complaints
223 S. West Street, Suite 1800
Raleigh, NC 27603
Phone: 919-962-4550
Website: https://www.northcarolina.edu/post-secondary-education-complaints/

Students not located in North Carolina and enrolled in a North Carolina institution that operates under SARA North Carolina may submit complaints to the state portal agency, North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority (NCSEAA), only after completing the Isothermal Community College complaint process. SARA North Carolina's Complaint Process and Complaint Form may be found on the SARA North Carolina website.

SARA North Carolina Portal Liaison Contact Information:

Terrence R. Scarborough, M.P.A., Director of SARA North Carolina
Email: terrence@saranc.org
Phone: 919-549-8614 extension 4667

North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority
c/o SARA North Carolina
PO Box 41349
Raleigh, NC 27629
Phone: 855-SARA-1-NC (855-727-2162)
Email: information@saranc.org
Website: www.saranc.org

For students located outside of North Carolina, each NC SARA Member state has a liaison office. If an issue cannot be resolved through the grievance procedure, a student located outside the state of North Carolina may file a complaint with the state in which they are located, as shown on the Student Complaint State Contact page.

Student Complaint State Contact

Isothermal Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award certificates, diplomas, and associate degrees. Students who file a complaint with the accrediting agency should follow the SACSCOC Complaint Procedure (PDF). Complaints may be file with the Commission only if there is evidence that appears to support significant non-compliance with a SACSCOC requirements or standard by Isothermal Community College. The contact for SACSCOC is:

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
1866 Southern Lane
Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097
Phone: 404-679-4500
Website: https://sacscoc.org/

Additional Costs and Requirements Associated with Online Courses

If you are taking an online course, please read the following information concerning additional fees and requirements students may encounter.

Distance Learning/Identification Fee:

Isothermal Community College does not charge a separate distance learning/identification fee to students.

Test Proctor Costs – Isothermal students taking Isothermal courses and testing at the Isothermal campus:

Isothermal Community College does not charge its students a fee for proctoring tests associated with Isothermal Community College courses.

Test Proctor Costs – Isothermal students taking Isothermal courses and testing at another location:

If a student must take a proctored exam and wishes to test at a non-Isothermal site, the student is responsible for finding an acceptable testing site and obtaining approval from their instructor. Additionally, any fees charged by the remote proctoring site is the responsibility of the student and these costs vary based upon the students’ chosen proctoring sites’ practices.

Additional Supplies Required:

Some assignments require students to have a microphone and/or webcam to complete. Most laptops come with these pre-installed, but if your computer does not have them pre-installed, webcams and microphones are available at most office supply stores and others that carry computers and/or computer supplies. (NOTE: If you are using a webcam, check that it has an integrated microphone before purchasing one separately.)

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