DSDT Distance Education Disclosures
Transparent Information for Distance Learners
Train. Empower. Employ.
DSDT Online Learning
DSDT has a long tradition of rigorous academics. Our online degree programs embrace the same standards of quality as our traditional classroom delivery methods. DSDT provides access to our excellent curriculum and faculty to students across the world via Canvas.
DSDT is a member of the NC-SARA National Reciprocity Agreement and is authorized to offer online courses throughout the United States of America, and its respective territories.
ELearning Requirements:
Technical Skills Requirements:
Technical skills required for success in an online classroom include:
- Basic computer knowledge and skills to participate in the online learning environment
- Know what browser you are using
- Know what operating system you are using (MAC OSX, Win 8, Win 10, etc.)
- Use office email to communicate with instructor and other students within the class successfully
- Access the Internet and navigate various webpages and the online learning environment
- Have a basic familiarity with your computer and its programs
Student Skills
Self-motivated to work within the online learning environment Strong organizational skills will help the student to succeed with coursework and everyday life challenges Online learning is flexible; however, the success of the student is dependent upon the above factors. When students do not adhere to schedules, remain organized, have basic knowledge of their computer, and fail to remain motivated, success within the online learning environment is reduced significantly.
DSDT Resources
Technical Support and Student Orientation To Technology
Student orientation to technology is provided and technical support is readily available to all students through all modes of delivery (i.e., Distance Education and Traditional). We aim to provide the support necessary for students to be successful when using technical resources. To mitigate potential issues and provide technical support, we provide a Helpdesk email for our students upon enrollment. It can be reached by the following email address: helpdesk@dsdt.edu.
Students are given orientation directions prior to enrollment and during orientation. The students will also be given orientation to all technology platforms for Canvas LMS and Campus Café from their instructors prior to accessing their courses. The staff is given orientation to all technology upon employment by the Faculty Director.
DSDT Distance Education Disclosures
This page provides critical information concerning the DSDT’s permission to operate outside of the state of Michigan and the rights and protections afforded to students based on their location, including for students who participate in online learning from other states, territories, and countries.
DSDT is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all people and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, height, weight, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.
DSDT’s full nondiscrimination policy as well as contact information for submitting inquiries and complaints concerning discrimination can be obtained from DSDT’s student handbook.
Students pursuing online degrees should note that some countries may not formally recognize foreign online degrees, which can have implications for students who later seek to enroll in other educational programs, or for those who seek employment with their home country’s government or other employers requiring specific credentials. Additionally, some countries may or may not require foreign higher education institutions to comply with distance education regulations. DSDT does not represent or guarantee that its online degree programs are recognized in or meet requirements to comply with distance education regulations in the student’s country of residence if it is outside the United States. It is therefore the student’s responsibility to understand current circumstances or special requirements surrounding whether this online degree will be recognized in the student’s
country of residence, how the collection of student data may be used in said country, and whether the student will be subject to additional withholding taxes in addition to the price of tuition.
Certain foreign governments use firewalls to block or limit access to Internet content, which can impact a student’s ability to access course materials and supporting tools and technologies, including those provided by DSDT, its partners, and third parties. When available to students, the use of a virtual private network (VPN) may enhance a student’s access. Export controls can further limit DSDT’s ability to provide students in foreign jurisdictions with certain downloadable content and programs. DSDT is committed to working with students who experience access limitations, but as these international restrictions may be beyond DSDT’s and the student’s control, DSDT cannot guarantee full and uninterrupted access to its online educational content, technologies, tools, and services in all international jurisdictions. Please review any notices published by the program you are interested in to learn more.
Qualified international applicants who do not currently hold a valid U.S. visa will be subjected to additional background checks through international databases prior to receiving an offer of admission. These screening procedures support DSDT’s efforts to avoid transacting with persons designated under U.S. sanctions programs.
Personal information—whether volunteered, collected through automated processes (e.g., cookies operating on DSDT websites), or retrieved from third-parties—will be processed in the United States. Because of the GDPR regulation in the EU, to meet the regulations we are now blocking EU traffic without a consent form. To have access to DSDT’s systems while in Europe, students/Faculty/Staff will need to complete a consent form by request from helpdesk@dsdt.edu and they will be given an exception and instructions.
U.S. Citizenship or legal permanent residency is a requirement for federal financial aid and FAFSA eligibility. University and advertised external scholarships may not be available to all international students. Students and prospective students are advised to review all eligibility criteria listed for such scholarships carefully. Depending on
your location or country of citizenship, you may be required to pay taxes in your location or country of citizenship, in addition to the tuition and fees you will pay to DSDT. These taxes may result from “purchasing” educational content, receiving scholarships, or from other triggering events relating to your participation in this online program
The United States Federal Higher Education Opportunity Act requires that all institutions offering distance or correspondence courses or programs certify that the student registering for a course is the same student who participates in the course or receives course credit. The FHEO requires that one or more of the following mechanisms be employed:
- A secure login and passcode;
- Proctored examinations; and
- New or other technologies and practices that are effective in verifying student identification.
As part of participation in online courses or programs at DSDT, we will make and use photographic, audio, video, or other recordings (the “Recordings”) of you, your voice, and your likeness. This also may include your personally identifiable information, education records, and use of the online interface. Recordings may include work product and other materials, whether or not copyrighted by you or others, that you make available as part of your participation in online courses or programs at or through DSDT (the “Materials”). The Recordings are necessary for your participation in online degree-granting courses and will be used internally and externally during and after your enrollment for purposes related to instruction, evaluation, classroom participation, conflict resolution and academic integrity, among others. Recordings and Materials may also be shared with DSDT management and third parties acting on behalf of DSDT in connection with administration of online courses and programs. Recordings and Materials that amount to education records protected under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) are subject to DSDT’s FERPA policies.
DSDT is an accredited public institution that participates in the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (SARA). This combination of factors authorizes DSDT to enroll online students from all states and territories in the
United States. This also means that otherwise eligible and qualifying students, whether participating in-state or outof-state, can use federal financial aid to support tuition and fees associated with DSDT online degrees and certificates
Many professions in the United States are regulated by state agencies which require individuals to obtain a license or certification as a condition of employment. States differ as to which professions are regulated in this manner. Common categories include but are not limited to legal services, social services, architecture, engineering, education, accounting, and healthcare.
While programs that lead to professional licensure may be “authorized” in your home state, this does not guarantee that the program will also satisfy prerequisites for becoming licensed in the profession as defined by the applicable state licensing body in your state. Please contact DSDT’s financial aid department to request information about whether a specific state’s professional licensure requirements can be satisfied by completing the program you are interested or enrolled in and whether there may be additional requirements or costs involved. You are also encouraged to contact the appropriate licensing body in your state with any questions relating to professional licensure. CareerOneStop sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, provides a survey tool for locating regulatory bodies associated with licensed professions in each state. In addition, the Council on Licensure, Enforcement, and Regulation (CLEAR) hosts contact information for many licensing boards categorized both by jurisdiction and by profession.
In compliance with these federal requirements, DSDT has the following procedures:
Use of student photo. Students seeking admission to an online degree program will be required to prove their identify upon admission. Students able to come to campus can bring their passport, state issued identification and/or birth certificate to the One Stop Center. Their documents will be verified and studentsnot able to come to campus must submit their passport, state issued identification with picture and one additional form of identification. DSDT may require these documents to be taken to a notary and notarized to ensure the identity of the applying student. Costs for notary are the responsibility of the student. DSDT student ID photos are loaded in DSDT’s LMS system, Campus Cafe and available for viewing by staff. Instructors will emphasize the academic integrity policy in their syllabus, reviewing student writing samples, conferencing with students in person or through Internet technology, etc. to verify student identity including comparing the system profile photo with the person interacting. Concerns about identify will be forwarded to the Admissions Department for
further exploration including, but not limited to IP address monitoring, requiring additional documentation and/or repeated notarization of documents. DSDT students are required to attend the daily instructor led training via office TEAMS. They are required to have their camera on to verify their identity.
All students will be issued a unique e-mail account with a secure logon and passcode upon being accepted to DSDT or admitted to an online program. All email communication between DSDT and the student will be through this e-mail account.
All electronic courses at DSDT will be offered through teams and Canvas, which students will access with their secure dsdt.edu logon and passcode.
DSDT online courses have varied assessments and faculty may, at their discretion, require proctored examinations or use other technologies that are effective in verifying students’ identities.
Students have a choice to come to DSDT’s campus and have their exam proctored by DSDT faculty.
DSDT courses often require students to produce written work and faculty may, at their discretion, summit papers to go through a plagiarism detection application. DSDT reserves the right to add student papers to its plagiarism detection database for future comparisons. Any student found to have permitted another student to represent them for any portion of an online course will be dismissed from the course and will not be permitted to take any other online courses at DSDT.
Complaints for Distance Education Students
DSDT is committed to serving all students, whether participating on campus or online. A student has the right to lodge a complaint or grievance. DSDT will ensure that all concerns and complaints of students are addressed fairly and are resolved promptly. DSDT’s student complaint process begins with the grievance policy that can be found in
our student handbook.
Student complaints relating to consumer protection laws offered under the terms and conditions of the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA), must be filed with DSDT first to seek resolution. The Student Services Department is resource for those seeking consultation and mediation support as well as more formal resolution options when experiencing conflict including complaints relating to harassment or discrimination. Complaints relating to the institution’s policies and consumer protection issues, DSDT encourages students and prospective students to first contact personnel in the office, department, school, or college where the complaint originated. If your complaint is not resolved to your satisfaction after exhausting DSDT’s internal review processes, your complaint may be eligible for external review by one or more agencies. These processes are detailed below.
Both Michigan residents and students located in a state or territory that has joined the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (SARA), may submit a complaint to Michigan’s Corporations, Securities & Commercial Licensing Bureau (CSCL) , which operates within Michigan’s SARA portal entity, the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA). Additional information regarding complaint eligibility can be found in the CSCL complaint form linked above and in the Consumer Protection section of the SARA Manual.
If you do not live in Michigan or in another SARA state, or if the nature of the complaint does not fall within the
scope of SARA, you may instead contact the relevant agency in your home state for additional support.
Active military service members, veterans, and family members of military service members or veterans may be eligible to submit a complaint for review to the Department of Defense (DoD).
DSDT is nationally accredited by the Council on Occupation Education. Complaints concerning broad institutional academic practices, such as those that raise issues regarding ability to meet accreditation standards, may be filed with the COE.
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