INDIANA COURSE ACCESS PROGRAM (iCAP)

INDIANA COURSE ACCESS PROGRAM (iCAP)

ag2370.03Adopted July 9, 2019Revised January 11, 2022

2370.03 - INDIANA COURSE ACCESS PROGRAM (iCAP)

The following guidelines are established to meet students' individual needs, expand learning opportunities, and diversify their curricula. 

Lead Point of Contact for the iCAP:

The Superintendent shall assign a Corporation employee to serve as the Corporation’s Lead Point of Contact for the iCAP who is the primary contact person for the Indiana Department of Education ("IDOE").

The Lead Point of Contact is responsible for:

  1. the appeal process,
  2. updating the Point of Contact for all schools in the LEA, and
  3. maintaining accurate information.

The Lead Point of Contact serves as the main point of contact for:

  1. Communicating the available opportunities, benefits and risks to students, Corporation staff, and families;
  2. Advising students on courses that match their interests and meet their graduation requirements;
  3. Performing all online course registration transactions with the provider(s);
  4. Ensuring final grades and credits are reflected on report cards and transcripts for students who participate and successfully complete an iCAP course;
  5. Maintaining the school's iCAP course student roster;
  6. Ensuring equitable access to and equitable participation in the iCAP by addressing the needs of students, teachers, and other program beneficiaries in order to overcome barriers to equitable participation; and
  7. Is the primary contact person for the provider and the IDOE for questions regarding enrollment.

School Point of Contact for the iCAP:

The Principal of a school with eligible students participating in iCAP shall assign a Corporation employee to serve as the School Point of Contact. The School Point of Contact’s primary responsibilities are (1) to conduct registration transactions with iCAP providers and (2) to ensure final grades and credits are reflected on report cards and transcripts. The School Point of Contact works closely with guidance counselors and is authorized to advise students on the selection of their courses. Desired traits include:

  1. Highly organized and detail-oriented;
  2. Part of the team making decisions about the school's online course policies;
  3. Familiar with online courses—including technology requirements, prerequisites, and timelines—prior to enrolling students; and
  4. Authorized to assist students in the selection of their courses, to provide academic advising, and to apply credits earned online to student transcripts.

The School Point of Contact’s additional responsibilities may include:

  1. Communicating the available opportunities, benefits and risks to students, school staff, and families;
  2. Advising students on courses that match their interests and meet their graduation requirements;
  3. Maintaining the school's iCAP course student roster; and
  4. Ensuring equitable access to and equitable participation in the iCAP, by addressing the needs of students, teachers, and other program beneficiaries in order to overcome barriers to equitable participation.

iCAP Teachers:

iCAP Courses are taught by Indiana licensed educators provided by the iCAP vendor. The Corporation is not responsible for assigning a teacher to the iCAP enrolled student; however, the school must provide an iCAP Mentor to a student once he/she is registered in an iCAP course.

iCAP Mentors:

Mentors are Corporation employees who are assigned to the student upon iCAP enrollment by the Corporation. Mentors do not need to be subject matter experts (although some course providers recommend this for students at the AP level). The mentor’s main role is to offer active facilitation for student success. Desired traits include:

  1. Competently use technology in multiple systems, possess organizational and efficiency skills, and keep accurate records.
  2. Understand and advocate for the students in alternative learning situations. Are compassionate but hold students accountable.

Mentors work closely with online students to ensure a positive and successful experience by:

  1. Helping the student set goals and persist through course completion;
  2. Assisting with the use of technology and logging in to the course;
  3. Facilitating communication and fostering a student's relationship with the iCAP course teacher;
  4. Assisting with course participation procedures and gathering student grades; and
  5. Providing feedback to the iCAP Point of Contact about processes, offerings, and course providers.

Schools may have multiple iCAP Mentors, but should have only one (1) iCAP Point of Contact (although a Mentor can fill this role too). iCAP Point of Contacts are always included in iCAP Support communications from the IDOE.

Mentors must have access to the student’s online grades; however, they are not responsible for grading any of the coursework or answering questions about the course content. iCAP Mentors will be assigned log-in credentials in order to access the student’s online grades. This will be part of the enrollment process that the iCAP Point of Contact will coordinate with the iCAP Provider.

Guidance Counselors:

The iCAP Point of Contact and Mentors have a close working relationship with school guidance counselors. It is very important for students’ academic needs to be properly matched with their abilities and expectations of online learning. Guidance Counselors can be included in iCAP Support communications by request to ICAP@doe.in.gov.

Technologist:

The building technologist is a key iCAP Support Team member who ensures that school devices used for online learning meet the course providers' technology requirements. The technologist is mainly needed at the beginning of each term to make sure any course-specific plug-ins or technology requirements are addressed.

School Administrator:

The Superintendent may appoint an administrator to serve on the iCAP Support Team. The administrator makes sure school policies for online courses are in place and understood by the team and other pertinent school staff. The administrator supports the team by facilitating the resolution of any issues that may occur in areas such as student eligibility, schedule and space availability, payment, or cost-sharing practices, etc. School administrators can be included in iCAP Support communications by request to ICAP@doe.in.gov.

Students with IEPs and Section 504 Plans:

Prior to the enrollment of a Corporation student with a disability into one (1) or more iCAP courses, the student’s case conference committee or Section 504 team should meet to determine whether each online course meets the student’s educational goals, review the individualized education program (“IEP”) or Section 504 plan to consider the extent to which the student’s current accommodations can be provided in the virtual learning environment, and revise the IEP or Section 504 plan to identify any additional accommodations or assistive technology that may be needed to ensure equitable access in the virtual learning environment in order to ensure the provision of a free appropriate public education.

Prior to the first day of the online course, the student’s teacher of record (“TOR”) or Section 504 Coordinator (or designee) shall provide a copy of the student’s IEP or Section 504 plan to the online course instructor and ensure that the instructor is made aware of any required accommodations or modifications for the student. The online course instructor is responsible for communicating any questions regarding implementation of the student’s IEP or Section 504 plan to the TOR or Section 504 Coordinator.

© Neola 2021