Sudbury (Wednesday, October 12, 2005) – Contact North/Contact Nord, Northern Ontario’s Distance Education & Training Network, is once again sharing its expertise in distance education technologies with educational institutions from other countries.

On Thursday, October 13^th, 2005, Contact North/Contact Nord representatives in Sudbury will participate in a videoconference session with representatives of the Global Development Learning Network in Sri Lanka. The Global Development Learning Network (www.gdln.org) is a global partnership of learning centers (GDLN Affiliates) that offer the use of advanced information and communication technologies to connect people working in development around the world.

Northern Ontario’s Distance Education & Training Network will share its experiences and expertise in the use of videoconferencing to facilitate access to education and training opportunities for residents of Northern Ontario with representatives from Sri Lanka. In particular, Contact North/Contact Nord will discuss the kinds of programs and courses suitable for delivery via videoconference, the use of complementary technologies such as e-learning platforms to ensure a quality learning experience, the use of the Internet to deliver videoconferencing, and overcoming infrastructure challenges in small and remote communities.

“Contact North/Contact Nord looks forward to sharing our extensive experience in the use of videoconferencing technology with colleagues in Sri Lanka,” stated Maxim Jean-Louis, President – Chief Executive Officer, Contact North/Contact Nord. “In many ways, Contact North/Contact Nord was a pioneer in the use of videoconferencing to deliver programs and courses to residents of small and remote communities in Northern Ontario. We hope educational institutions in Sri Lanka can benefit from this experience.”

Contact North/Contact Nord first introduced videoconferencing in 1994, and has expanded its videoconference network to include 25 communities across Northern Ontario. Videoconferencing is essential to the delivery of many important programs and courses in the health care and social services field.

As part of its mandate, Contact North/Contact Nord routinely shares its expertise in the field of distance education with international counterparts including recent initiatives with the Government of Trinidad and Tobago and the South Africa Qualifications Authority. 

- 30 -

About Contact North/Contact Nord

Contact North/Contact Nord, Northern Ontario’s Distance Education & Training Network, facilitates access to the education and training programs offered by Northern Ontario’s colleges, universities and a school board through audioconference, videoconference, and e-learning technologies. In 2004-2005, Contact North/Contact Nord facilitated over 11,000 course registrations in 615 full and part-time credit courses and programs offered over its Network. Contact North/Contact Nord services are available in both official languages in 83 small and remote communities in Northern Ontario.