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Parents and educators who are unfamiliar with the web can find it difficult to imagine how one learns in an online environment. For The Center for Talent Development’s (CTD) distance‑learning program, Gifted LearningLinks (GLL), it is the technology that translates face‑to‑face teaching into the virtual classroom. With the Blackboard Course Management System application, CTD provides its students with a forum for both live and asynchronous class discussion. In fact, instructors can administer tests that, in some cases, can be immediately scored with commentary.

CTD’s distance‑learning classes also benefit from the full range of support services of Northwestern University. For example, an American Studies instructor can select any material, such as film or sound clips, from the Northwestern library catalog to enable students to examine not only historical texts but also art graphics and music recordings. Moreover, a course in musical theater is made possible through the ability to stream cast library collection recordings online.And students have access to all of this, as well as their syllabus and assignments, anytime and from any computer.

Yet CTD’s distance‑learning instructors do not use educational technology to hold students’ attention or to motivate students to learn. As such, CTD applicants undergo an admissions review to ensure that they have the academic skills and self‑discipline to complete a challenging course with minimal supervision. Generally, academically talented students have the qualities to succeed in a serious online course: they are hard‑working and motivated, and they have interests in specific academic subjects. At a time when many schools have difficulty meeting the needs of their gifted students, families are likely to pursue out‑of‑school options for obtaining appropriate coursework. An online class can give students just what they need: the right course at the right time.