Pace utilizes their support services to increase or maintain access to support services for the existing and new learner populations, reduce technology barriers, and reduce readiness barriers. An independent evaluator (IOTA Solutions) administers reliable and valid evaluative measures via the Internet to track the effectiveness of the NACTEL Program, address and eliminate obstacles to student learning, and anticipate changing needs of students. This online feedback system automatically tabulates results, highlights potential problems, and provides continuous feedback to key stakeholders (program administrators, faculty) anytime and anywhere they need this information to make ongoing improvements.

Evaluative measures associated with the student satisfaction and access pillars are administered to new students twice each term and to returning students once each term (in addition to the individual course surveys given by instructors). Table 1 illustrates Pace University's success in effectively addressing these pillars. Three of the evaluative measures are described below:

1. Application process / Web Site Measure: Delivered to new applicants to the NACTEL Program. Explores student satisfaction with the application process and the effectiveness of the Pace web site (http://support.csis.pace.edu/nactel) in delivering information about the program.
2. Registration process / Course Satisfaction Measure New Student version: Delivered to all new students who have registered for courses. Explores students' attitudes towards the registration process, various aspects of the website, and students' expectations toward online learning prior to the start of classes.
3. Returning Student version: Delivered to all returning students who have registered for courses. Explores students' attitudes towards the registration process, satisfaction with course experience, and attitudes towards online education. Survey results can be compared across New and Returning Student versions to explore the relationship between expectations and experiences. Self-report performance items explore how attitudes and demographics relate to various levels of performance.

Table 1: Items and responses from the Online Support Services surveys

Application Process / Web Site Measure	Response Trend
Effectiveness in which your questions regarding the application process were answered:	91% "good" or "very good"
Website's effectiveness in providing useful information about the online learning process:	94% "good" or "very good"
Website's effectiveness in defining the scope of the degree and certificate programs in terms of time commitment on a class-by-class and overall basis:	81% "good" or "very good"
Website's effectiveness in describing the technical requirements needed to participate in the program:	89% "good" or "very good"
Overall satisfaction with online application process:	88% "satisfied" or "very satisfied"
Registration Process / Course Satisfaction	Response Trend
Quality of the student advisement received:	85% "good" or "very good"
Access to student support services is good	68% "agree" or "strongly agree"(26% did not use)
Access to library resources is adequate in an online education program:	49% "agree" or "strongly agree" (48% did not use)
I receive adequate support from my instructors:	90% "agree" or "strongly agree"
Overall satisfaction with online registration process:	92% "satisfied" or "very satisfied"
Overall satisfaction with program:	96% "satisfied" or "very satisfied"

[Note: Responses to Online Support Services items include those that were collected after the implementation of the current NACTEL Program website]

Conclusions: Comparison of results between the New and Returning Student measures indicate that: (1) new students expect more interactions than what the returning students have experienced; and (2) new students expect to be bothered more by the lack of interaction than the returning students. These results illustrate students' changing perceptions and indicate students are able to adjust to the limited interaction.

Student comments also provided encouraging results. Students indicated they would have been unable to pass their courses without the math tutoring services provided and that the convenience of online learning is an important advantage over traditional forms of learning.