This paper details the manner in which Arizona has integrated their concept of a virtual university with their community college system. Called the Arizona Learning System (ALS), it is an intriguing answer to many of the questions concerning how a virtual university would work, how to fund it, and how the virtual university could offer the sense of community which is an important part of the higher education experience for many segments of the potential student population.

One interesting area is the findings by those that implemented the ALS on the costs of developing Internet delivery of coursework (page 8). In short, they found it is better to anticipate much higher up front costs and use the technology to its fullest capability, rather than just "digitizing" the traditional approach.

The ALS is an intelligent answer to the competitive threat that distance learning poses to any community college system and small independents. By keying on such institutions' benefit of "community," the adjunct of a virtual learning capability represents a synergistic approach to attracting and serving higher education consumers 'better' than the competition can.

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