By Greenville Technical College (GTC)

As part of a grant obligation, Greenville Technical College (GTC) was confronted in 2009 with the question of how to offer Arabic language instruction with few resources to a student body that had expressed interest in the language. As there are only three Arabic programs in the entire state, none of which are in upstate South Carolina, GTC needed to become an innovator within the South Carolina Technical System, as well as a key player within the statewide network of higher education. 

Through careful research, GTC identified the U.S. Distance Arabic Learning Network (USADLN) as an alternative to hiring a qualified Arabic instructor from the surrounding area. The USADLN delivers one-hour long Arabic lessons twice a week via satellite feed from Montana State University. In addition, GTC holds two language labs each week to review the most recent lesson; these are led by an onsite Arabic teaching assistant. In Fall 2010, GTC enrolled 25 students in Beginner’s Arabic I; student feedback has been extremely positive.