This fall, the information super highway is really humming between the Woodland Park campus of Colorado Springs Christian School and its parent institution in the Springs.

Colorado Springs Christian School Woodland Park has recently expanded and upgraded its distance learning program.

Students can take pre-algebra and algebra classes via a computer hookup with the central campus. The classes are offered to seventh- and eighth-grade advanced students by Colorado Springs instructors Jason Kersey and Randy Stephens.

CSCS Webmaster Melanie Havnaer coordinates the program on the Woodland Park campus.

"On one half of a split screen, our students can view the Colorado Springs teachers' white boards on which written instructions, charts, graphs, etc. can be placed," Havnaer said. "On the other half of the screen is a visual of the instructor and a set of icons students can click to interact with their teachers during class."

For example, a student can click one icon to electronically "raise her hand" and ask a question of the instructor. Other icons allow students to request that the instructor lower or raise the pace of instruction. Pupils can also click to write out questions for the teacher rather than state them orally.

Each student computer station is equipped with a Web cam, so the instructors can view the students individually; in addition, an overhead cam gives teachers a panoramic view of the entire classroom.

Student Dori Havnaer sees the distance learning program as a real advantage.

"I feel I can learn quicker because of the technology," she said.

Michaela White added, "I really like the electronic 'raising our hand' feature because it allows for individual questions."

None of the students expressed any problems relating to their teachers in an online scenario, and all were open to at least the possibility of classrooms in the future without real flesh-and-blood instructors.

Havnaer said the logistics of homework and exams are easily handled by daily buses going to the Colorado Springs campus or by fax machine.

"The students in these math classes are electronically connected in real time, both visually and with audio, to their teachers," said CSCS Principal John West. "I believe we are one of the only schools in the state with a program like this."

This school year, CSCS Woodland Park has also added the eighth grade level to its curriculum, and now has an enrollment of 120.