Alabama State's first degree program that is available entirely online, except for an on-campus project at the end, is the Transitional Doctorate in Physical Therapy, a program for practicing physical therapists who want to catch up with the latest developments in the field. More degree programs will go online in 2012, according to Dr. Kenley Obas, coordinator of academic computing at ASU.
Alabama State also offers online courses in other fields, including biology and library education media, Dr. Obas says. Students both on-campus and off-campus take online courses.
The university uses Wimba Live Classroom and Blackboard in its online course offerings, Dr. Obas says. Wimba supports a system of virtual classrooms with live instruction through the use of two-way audio, direct text messaging and a shared, interactive whiteboard, according to the ASU website. The Blackboard application "integrates online course materials with online communication tools," the website says.