only connect - partners - AOL

AOL UK have provided Only Connect with user accounts with no subscription charges for all the students and tutors involved. All students are using AOL for the project, including those with existing internet connections, to provide consistency, ease of technical support and because of the ready-made communications systems, especially chat and internet paging, that it provides. Also, by using their 0800 charging system, whereby the actual phonecall is free and AOL charge for line time, it has been relatively easy for DCC to pay for the connection time of those students who did not already have their own internet facility.

While it was not originally envisaged that AOL would be the kind of service that would lend itself to a more substantial roll-out of on-line learning at home as seen in Only Connect, it has become clear that for a great many reasons, it is exactly the kind of system that could be used. You will find more about this in Progress > Software.

I am very grateful to AOL UK for providing this facility and I feel sure that the project would have had a much bumpier ride had it not been for them.