DLD Course Selection Guidelines

DLD courses are offered by a number of providers. To view some course descriptions, you will be linking to provider sites.

Please note the following very important points:

  1. Registration.
    Students must register through their school's DLD Registrar.
  2. Space is not guaranteed by the DLD.
    Whether or not there is space in a course usually has to do with when students register.
  3. Browse the whole catalog.
    Some courses have creative names, so students should browse the whole catalog, or they may overlook a class in a subject that may be of interest.
  4. Note prerequisites.
    Students should note all prerequisites listed in the course descriptions.
  5. Pay attention to course details.
    Not all courses are offered each semester; check "Terms Available" in the course description. Most courses run for a full school year; check the "Note" in the course description.
  6. Note the technology requirements.
    If the student or the student's school cannot meet these requirements, then he or she should not choose the course.
  7. Summer courses.
    Summer courses generally have the same amount of content as school-year courses, but they are taken over a shorter period of time. So they are more intensive and accelerated.
  8. Supplemental materials.
    When a course's supplemental materials are not available online, they will be sent to the school's DLD Teacher/Mentor. Many Internet Academy courses require books generally found in school and local libraries; these will not be automatically ordered for students. Math, photography, and science courses often require calculators, cameras, and lab equipment; these materials are not provided by the DLD.
  9. Science labs.
    In general, online courses allow for a "dry," or virtual, lab experience, so students can complete required labs without the need for a supervised and fully-outfitted school lab; however, students are encouraged to complete "wet," or traditional, labs and are supported with the information/materials lists needed to do so. Registrars enrolling students in science courses should be prepared to help them identify and secure any local support they may need to complete a science course.
  10. Questions?
    If students have questions about the courses or procedures, they can ask their school's DLD Teacher/Mentor or Registrar.