| he purpose of this study was to identify and assess direct costs of distance education at the institutional level within the North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS) in accordance with the System-level mission of reducing barriers to higher education within North Carolina. Through a quantitative analysis of distance education expenditures, this study provides insight into the cost of each of these expenditures to individual institutions and to the NCCCS as a whole. Data provided in this study were used to develop a model through which community college administrators may assess the cost of distance education at their respective institutions in a clear and consistent fashion.;Data were collected through a survey of the population, which included chief financial officers and directors of distance education at the fifty-eight community colleges in North Carolina. The survey instrument consisted of electronic, paper, and phone surveys which collected data on thirty-seven research questions and elicited data on personnel, equipment, and support services costs. Responses were received from forty-four institutions.;Results of the study indicated that medium-sized institutions spent more on distance education per full-time equivalent student than their small or large-sized counterparts. Additionally, urban institutions had higher expenditures on distance education than rural institutions. Finally, distance education programs typically costs... |
