There are many places a student may turn to file a complaint when they feel their rights have been violated in the online environment. These rights may include discrimination, financial liability and misappropriation of student funds by the financial aid department of said college, grievences with instructors, disability department and other administrative departments, accessibility issues and inappropriate content in the classroom. So where do you turn to get help?
Office for Civil RightsU.S. Department of Education400 Maryland Avenue, S.W.Washington, D.C. 20202-1100(202) 245-6800; 1-800-421-3481FAX: (202) 245-6840; TDD: (877) 521-2172E-mail: OCR@ed.govWeb: http://www.ed.gov/ocr The office for civil rights handles complaints including those in the online education environment.
WHAT TO DO
Anyone wishing to file a formal complaint with OCR should submit in writing the following information in a letter or on the Discrimination Complaint Form available from OCR enforcement offices (see listing): ·
name and address and a day phone number where you might be reached
· A general description of the person(s) or class of persons injured by the alleged discriminatory act(s)
· The name and location of the institution that committed the alleged discriminatory act(s); A description of the alleged discriminatory act(s)
Describe what occurred, how or when it occurred,
the basis for the alleged discrimination (race, color, national origin, or you can choose to fill out a complaint on line at:
http://www.ed.gov/ocr/complaintprocess.html.
Note: a complaint must be filed within 180 calender days the exception is to submit just cause why one is filing the claim late for consideration.
Office for Civil RightsDiscrimination Complaint Form
Before completing this form,please read the information describing its use:http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/complaintintro.html
for complaint form go to http://wdcrobcolp01.ed.gov/CFAPPS/OCR/complaintform.cfm
United States Department of Education, Family Policy Compliance Office
If an University refuses to turn over all education records to students as required by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) you have options. It is strongly encouraged that you request your "complete education record(s) as defined by FERPA. By Federal Law, they have no more than forty five (45) days to submit everything that is maintained as part of that record. If (or when) an University fails to do this, complaints may be filed with the United States Department of Education, Family Policy Compliance Office, the law enforcement agency responsible for enforcing violations of FERPA.
Family Policy Compliance Office of US Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SWWashington, DC 20202-5901
(202) 260-3887 - voice
(202) 260-9001 - FAX
FBI Internet Fraud Complaint Center
If you have been charged hidden cost or feel that money has been billed to you that is incorrect you can file a complaint against the online school through the FBI Internet Fraud Center.
To file a complaint read this first and accept the terms, then fill out form.
http://www.ic3.gov/complaint/
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Bureau of Consumer Protection
This is another government agency that will investigate fraud complaints. If you feel that the online school has committed fraud especially in instances of with holding diplomas as they state you owe them more money which does not match with the money paid to them or were approved for an accelerated scholarship program through a school and later find out that you owe the total amount this agency is responsible to the consumer to protect their rights.
use the complaint form button at bottom of page to file complaint
http://www.ftc.gov/ftc/consumer.htm
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONOFFICE OF THE CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER REQUIREMENTS FOR ACCESSIBLE ELECTRONIC AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DESIGN.
You should know your rights and the resposibility that a school must meet if you are a student with disabilities who uses adaptive devices. To learn more go to:
http://www.ed.gov/fund/contract/apply/clibrary/software.html
Online University Consortium
This is an excellent place to learn more about a schools accreditation
Online UC was founded by leading universities to help companies and employees secure quality online education, high return on investment and relevant degree programs from trusted institutions of higher education. www.onlineuc.net.. The Online UC website provides a directory of schools who have met a set of seven standards required for Consortium membership. An industry checklist is also available, which features criteria for choosing a quality online education.
These resources are an excellent place to get started, I will be posting more resources in the near future. What is important to remember is to file a complaint as soon as possible.
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Student complaints in online education
Warning: Read this before signing an admissions form or paying fees for an online education!
Students are starting to speak out concerning online Universities which takes their money and their dreams. I find it utterly amazing how many students are left with nothing more than complaints in this ecollege environment. Have you searched for complaints concerning online education? One site that offers a student the ability to speak out is www.ripoffreport.com which is a service of badbusinessbureau.com is providing a sounding board that few people know about. The complaints range from both disabled and non disabled students who were bilked out of hidden cost by some universities. Note that there are credible schools out there but the trick is in finding them.
Not only are students speaking out but also former instructors who claims that many practices are immoral and unethical, the very structure of higher education is woven in the words integrity, diversity, and the emphasis that is put on academic honesty appears to not apply to the administration and workers of these colleges.
Think about the money that a tradition campus must pay for to keep up the buildings and grounds, the investment in technology equipment that must be kept update and all the employees it must pay to keep this campus safe. Lets compare this to the cost of the online classroom. Most universities already have an online environment of some sort established where students can access information via the school portal for instance from their dorm room. In the case of a student attending school online it is the student who is responsible for the cost of Internet, software required, books and any aids that is needed for the class. They do not have the option of running to the campus library or computer lab and must rely on their own equipment and have the additional cost of maintaining this equipment not the school. So what cost do online universities have? They have telemarketing expenses for the mills of admission specialist who follow leads or cold calls to produce students for their online schools. Often these representatives can be quite aggressive when trying to meet their quotas. They have the cost of developing the course curriculum and the instructors who teach this. The site that the school is on must be serviced by the technical support staff, book store and other administrative staff. Instructors who teach these course are paid far less than many campus instructors so why do they do it? Like most of us they need the extra income or actually enjoy teaching.
Many complaints regarding the cost of education actually stem from miscommunication. A student is presented with a rosy picture of what to expect for their money and once they are enrolled and have completed a term in school they discover they can not get through to their online academic advisor, get any satisfaction with online financial aid offices where they discover hidden cost and charges that do not make any sense. And even end up in classes where the professor does not even show up for the class that they are paying for. An example of this can be viewed at http://www.ripoffreport.com/view.asp?id=172088&view=printer
or how about student complaints that completed their courses with honors and their degree program and still have not received their degree. How you might ask can this happen? No one not even big brother is watching this rapidly growing for profit college system that is offering the convenience of getting an education around a busy schedule.
It is very hard to find complaints not because they do not exist but because there is no format for a student to find credible information on online universities. I am not against online education and in fact I seeking my degree through the online system. I am against not being able to find out about complaints that are filed and settled out of court where one is unaware that this process is happening on a daily basis.
I find it interesting how one can look up a business with the better business bureau when it is a brick and mortar structure but an online entity is actually a little more difficult to search. Many online institutions have many locations and you must search every one and all their subsidiaries that you might not know exist to find accurate information and the obstacles that you might face before attending the college. So we check to verify accreditation and see this is in place , does this mean it is a good school? Accreditation simply means they have the ability to issue a degree and receive financial aid. Think about how many schools both physical campuses and online environments actually exist in the United States alone. Can an entity responsible for accreditation review every course and see that students degree programs are actually preparing them for their chosen field? How do we hold an institution accountable is it by filing formal complaint through this institution which has its own financial gain to focus on? Where can a student turn to find help when their complaint falls on ears that refuse to hear? Lots of question that actually have answers. Do you want to know more. Watch this blog for valuable resources. If you feel you have been victimized through the online education system please let me know, if you need resources now send me an email at stewart.md@gmail.com and put problem briefly in title so I know it is not spam. I will send you links of how to enforce your rights along with information on where you can turn.
Liability statement: I do not endorse or condemn any specific school online but I do condemn the unethical practices that some colleges are using which constitutes fraud.
Students are starting to speak out concerning online Universities which takes their money and their dreams. I find it utterly amazing how many students are left with nothing more than complaints in this ecollege environment. Have you searched for complaints concerning online education? One site that offers a student the ability to speak out is www.ripoffreport.com which is a service of badbusinessbureau.com is providing a sounding board that few people know about. The complaints range from both disabled and non disabled students who were bilked out of hidden cost by some universities. Note that there are credible schools out there but the trick is in finding them.
Not only are students speaking out but also former instructors who claims that many practices are immoral and unethical, the very structure of higher education is woven in the words integrity, diversity, and the emphasis that is put on academic honesty appears to not apply to the administration and workers of these colleges.
Think about the money that a tradition campus must pay for to keep up the buildings and grounds, the investment in technology equipment that must be kept update and all the employees it must pay to keep this campus safe. Lets compare this to the cost of the online classroom. Most universities already have an online environment of some sort established where students can access information via the school portal for instance from their dorm room. In the case of a student attending school online it is the student who is responsible for the cost of Internet, software required, books and any aids that is needed for the class. They do not have the option of running to the campus library or computer lab and must rely on their own equipment and have the additional cost of maintaining this equipment not the school. So what cost do online universities have? They have telemarketing expenses for the mills of admission specialist who follow leads or cold calls to produce students for their online schools. Often these representatives can be quite aggressive when trying to meet their quotas. They have the cost of developing the course curriculum and the instructors who teach this. The site that the school is on must be serviced by the technical support staff, book store and other administrative staff. Instructors who teach these course are paid far less than many campus instructors so why do they do it? Like most of us they need the extra income or actually enjoy teaching.
Many complaints regarding the cost of education actually stem from miscommunication. A student is presented with a rosy picture of what to expect for their money and once they are enrolled and have completed a term in school they discover they can not get through to their online academic advisor, get any satisfaction with online financial aid offices where they discover hidden cost and charges that do not make any sense. And even end up in classes where the professor does not even show up for the class that they are paying for. An example of this can be viewed at http://www.ripoffreport.com/view.asp?id=172088&view=printer
or how about student complaints that completed their courses with honors and their degree program and still have not received their degree. How you might ask can this happen? No one not even big brother is watching this rapidly growing for profit college system that is offering the convenience of getting an education around a busy schedule.
It is very hard to find complaints not because they do not exist but because there is no format for a student to find credible information on online universities. I am not against online education and in fact I seeking my degree through the online system. I am against not being able to find out about complaints that are filed and settled out of court where one is unaware that this process is happening on a daily basis.
I find it interesting how one can look up a business with the better business bureau when it is a brick and mortar structure but an online entity is actually a little more difficult to search. Many online institutions have many locations and you must search every one and all their subsidiaries that you might not know exist to find accurate information and the obstacles that you might face before attending the college. So we check to verify accreditation and see this is in place , does this mean it is a good school? Accreditation simply means they have the ability to issue a degree and receive financial aid. Think about how many schools both physical campuses and online environments actually exist in the United States alone. Can an entity responsible for accreditation review every course and see that students degree programs are actually preparing them for their chosen field? How do we hold an institution accountable is it by filing formal complaint through this institution which has its own financial gain to focus on? Where can a student turn to find help when their complaint falls on ears that refuse to hear? Lots of question that actually have answers. Do you want to know more. Watch this blog for valuable resources. If you feel you have been victimized through the online education system please let me know, if you need resources now send me an email at stewart.md@gmail.com and put problem briefly in title so I know it is not spam. I will send you links of how to enforce your rights along with information on where you can turn.
Liability statement: I do not endorse or condemn any specific school online but I do condemn the unethical practices that some colleges are using which constitutes fraud.
Disabled Student's complain of unfair treatment
Online education has gained popularity in the past 5 years with the many colleges cashing in on the ecollege experience. Attending school from the comfort of one's home is an opportunity for many people with disabilities to achieve their dream of a college education, But at what cost? The American with Disabilities Act protects the rights of a person with disabilities to have access to education on a physical campus . Does this also apply to colleges that offer degree programs online? Are disability service departments in higher education protecting the rights of the disabled students?
Lets explore for a moment the structure of the online environment in the education system. Many colleges use a live class format which contains scrolling text that the student can not control. A visually impaired student who uses screen readers or refreshable braille displays often encounter difficulty with these formats. Video feeds that are not close captioned or provide an alternative printed format creates difficulties for a student with hearing difficulties. Internet field trips that demand students to view pages on the World Wide Web which have rapid flashing lights in ads and other formats can trigger seizures for students who suffer from photo sensitivity. Live chat classroom, white boards and discussion threads can often pose difficulties for a student who uses adaptive devices which is needed when paralysis exist. What recourse do students have to overcome these obstacles?
These obstacles and so many more are a daily part of a online student with disabilities and a student is advised to obtain an accommodation for their disability when they enroll in an online college but how does the accommodation help the student? Most common is the extra 2 days that is often given for assignments to be completed; although, extra time does not remove the obstacles. Many colleges frequently change the format of their ecollege portals and do not give advance warning to a student with disabilities. When the software they support is changed a student will often find out the hard way when they can no longer participate in the online classroom and thus are forced to invest in new software which can become quite pricey if changes are made often.
The Internet is a wonderful opportunity to exchange information, yet many disabled people are being left out from the ability to improve their lives due to issues of accessibility. Disability services often brush away students complaints and the student is left with the choice to either continue going into debt for the sake of the degree or give up on their dreams and cut their losses. You might say, well they can go to a tradition campus. I might say so can people without disabilities but the fact remains that everyone should have the right to access the same information regardless of skin color, religious preference and even disability.
Do you know of an online university which has withheld funds from a student for living expenses that they applied for on their loan? Do you know of a student that has been singled out in a live class setting or threaded discussion that caused this student humiliation? Do you know a student who has filed a formal complaint which was brushed aside and did not involve the student in the resolution? The interesting aspect to this is how everything is documented in the online environment so there is no disputing the facts and yet it appears that there is no place for a student to turn to , it does not matter if the student is disabled or not.
This is your opportunity to sound out. If you want to join together for a common voice and do something to make the online environment better for all students, speak out. Lets join together to make the online learning system take accountability for its actions. Feel free to email me and post student complaint in the title of your email.
In the next blog I will address documented issues and law suits that no one wants to address, in part due to the issue of how one's rights can be enforced on the World Wide Web. If you have a complaint about a specific college please use this format to network with others to form a voice to bring about change.
Disabled with a voice.
Lets explore for a moment the structure of the online environment in the education system. Many colleges use a live class format which contains scrolling text that the student can not control. A visually impaired student who uses screen readers or refreshable braille displays often encounter difficulty with these formats. Video feeds that are not close captioned or provide an alternative printed format creates difficulties for a student with hearing difficulties. Internet field trips that demand students to view pages on the World Wide Web which have rapid flashing lights in ads and other formats can trigger seizures for students who suffer from photo sensitivity. Live chat classroom, white boards and discussion threads can often pose difficulties for a student who uses adaptive devices which is needed when paralysis exist. What recourse do students have to overcome these obstacles?
These obstacles and so many more are a daily part of a online student with disabilities and a student is advised to obtain an accommodation for their disability when they enroll in an online college but how does the accommodation help the student? Most common is the extra 2 days that is often given for assignments to be completed; although, extra time does not remove the obstacles. Many colleges frequently change the format of their ecollege portals and do not give advance warning to a student with disabilities. When the software they support is changed a student will often find out the hard way when they can no longer participate in the online classroom and thus are forced to invest in new software which can become quite pricey if changes are made often.
The Internet is a wonderful opportunity to exchange information, yet many disabled people are being left out from the ability to improve their lives due to issues of accessibility. Disability services often brush away students complaints and the student is left with the choice to either continue going into debt for the sake of the degree or give up on their dreams and cut their losses. You might say, well they can go to a tradition campus. I might say so can people without disabilities but the fact remains that everyone should have the right to access the same information regardless of skin color, religious preference and even disability.
Do you know of an online university which has withheld funds from a student for living expenses that they applied for on their loan? Do you know of a student that has been singled out in a live class setting or threaded discussion that caused this student humiliation? Do you know a student who has filed a formal complaint which was brushed aside and did not involve the student in the resolution? The interesting aspect to this is how everything is documented in the online environment so there is no disputing the facts and yet it appears that there is no place for a student to turn to , it does not matter if the student is disabled or not.
This is your opportunity to sound out. If you want to join together for a common voice and do something to make the online environment better for all students, speak out. Lets join together to make the online learning system take accountability for its actions. Feel free to email me and post student complaint in the title of your email.
In the next blog I will address documented issues and law suits that no one wants to address, in part due to the issue of how one's rights can be enforced on the World Wide Web. If you have a complaint about a specific college please use this format to network with others to form a voice to bring about change.
Disabled with a voice.
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