Introduction

The Association for Innovation in Distance Education (AIDE) is a voluntary association and collaboration of distance education specialists. Its purpose is to create, publish, and provide for comprehensive standards for the review/accreditation of quality institutions providing a non-traditional approach to secondary education.

AIDE is dedicated to the process of institutional accreditation for non-tradtional schools offering distance education, and works with candidate organizations to fulfill the requirements of the standards for accreditation. Standards have been developed, based on extensive research and current trends related to non-traditional education. An advisory board of professionals oversees the process of development and accreditation review criteria. Evaluation of standards for institutions are conduced by outside contractors who have experience in academic administration and teaching.

AIDE is not an accrediting agency approved/recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Accreditation in the U.S. is a voluntary process. A school may be licensed or regulated or approved or exempt from licensing by a State Department of Education, without the mandate for accreditation. Accreditation is considered to be a peer review process of evaluation of defined standards for achieving the objectives of a curriculum of education and study. In the U.S. there is no mandate that an accreditor be approved by the U.S. Department of Education.

Schools which are accredited by AIDE are not schools that are accredited by an accreditor approved by the U.S. Department of Education. Thus, they are not to be considered as having any type of regional accreditation, nor eligible for federal grant/loan programs.

You can access the website of the U.S. Department of Education and preview its posted information on accreditation: access here.

OBJECTIVES

• To provide a systematic review and accreditation of higher education institutions that are committed to offering innovative and non-traditional curriculums and programs, including distance education, and online learning.
• To develop standards that guide petitioning institutions in meeting comprehensive standards that are applicable to innovative, non-traditional curriculums and programs.
• To establish the standards for evaluation that insure comprehensive education programs which achieve their defined objectives.
• To convene a board of professionals who have education/experience in academia, as well as in specific specialties that are multi dimensional and provide for consistency and appropriateness in the accreditation process.
• To offer education and consultation for petitioning institutions who are seeking an accreditation.
• To uphold the developed and agreed upon standards for accreditation.
• To disseminate information to prospective students considering an accredited institution of the institution.
• To provide a means to re-evaluate standards, and revise standards on an ongoing basis to insure the overall mission of AIDE.

STANDARDS

AIDE has developed standards that provide for a comprehensive review of a school's structure, processes, and outcomes, related to the overall curriculums as well as the administration of the institutions. Accreditation standards are provided for in all of the following major categories:

• The Institution- Structure and Process
• Administration
• Faculty
• Curriculums
• Learning Outcomes Assessment
• Undergraduate Programs
• Graduate Programs
• Record Keeping
• Credits- Transfers and Acceptance
• Policies
• Tuition Refunds
• Financial Viability
• Ownership
• Dispute Resolution
• New Programs and Curriculums

Each of these categories provides for a comprehensive set of standards by which institutions may be evaluated against. All of the defined standards must be met in order for an institution to be considered for accreditation by AIDE.

To Preview all Standards: access here

To Preview Frequently Asked Questions: access here

To Preview Accredited Members: access here