Security method in distance-learning

New information and communication technologies have become major resources for teaching and learning in higher education. Technologies have multiple capabilities to support different instructional strategies and provide an efficient way of delivering course material and improving comprehension. Unlike a classroom discussion, where students and instructors are bound to course packs and books, online discussions actually enhance student learning by the vast number of additional resources that are easily accessible, important, and up-to-date. Yet administering tests to distance learners presents unique challenges. Giving a "closed-book" exam on site, for example, involves commuting or special arrangements with proctors local to each student. In a distance-learning environment, this can cause inconveniences that overcome the benefits of students' taking classes on-line. This paper presents an idea for allowing closed-book exams local to the student, while reducing the likelihood of cheating to equal that of the traditional classroom environment. It employs a network of audio and video communication-enabled personal computers capable of alleviating many of the issues mentioned above. Specifically, it implements a classroom local area network as a beginning concept/prototype development and then broadening these concepts to the distance learner.