Close Collaboration for Distance-Learning.

• Author: Conaway, Janelle
• Position: Brief Article

THE OAS INTER-American Agency for Cooperation and Development (IACD) and the Venezuela-based Fundacion Cisneros will work together to expand distance-learning programs in Latin America. The two organizations will seek to build on and expand the Fundacion Cisneros's innovative teacher-training program, Professional Development for Educators (AME).

Under the AME program, teachers participate in an eight-month distance-learning course in which they communicate via digital satellite television with educators at the Mexico-based Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey. The program currently serves 145 schools in seven countries: Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, and Venezuela.

"Education is the most critical challenge facing Latin America today," IACD director general Ron Scheman said at the signing of the cooperation agreement. "This agreement will go far to help the agency meet its goal to fashion an effective response to this challenge. Success will require the widest collaboration between...