The US Distance Learning Association neither accredits nor licenses academic institutions. The status of US-based institutions can be researched at the United States Department of Education website: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation. International institutions should be pursued with their host country.
Distinct from accreditation, USDLA does offer certification to institutions who meet the criteria of USDLA/Quality Standards. Those institutions may be found at Certification – USDLA . If you would like to add your institution to this prestigious list, please review our Quality Standards certification, https://usdla.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/How-to-Get-Certified.pdf
Our Association is unique, not only for its historical commitment to distance learning, but also for engaging with a broad spectrum of distance learning professionals in the fields of K-12, higher education, corporate, government, military, telehealth, and home schooling. While more narrowly focused organizations have an important role, a powerful perspective emerges when bright minds serving diverse constituencies come together.
The USDLA was formed in 1987. At that time, companies like Yahoo and Google were still years away. “Power users” were boasting of their Intel 386 processors. In that context, DL was a concept well outside the educational mainstream. Granted, a few people knew something of the process but hands-on DL experience was rare. USDLA, then, provided a means for these pioneers to find one another.
Today, with more than one-third of college students taking an online class, it’s a far different world and USDLA remains an international leader providing a unique community for members to engage with other DL professionals. Today’s USDLA stands out as a remarkable resource for teachers and administrators who want to enhance the learning experience.
