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MADISON, Wis. - Wayne Fanno, agricultural education distance delivery coordinator at Oregon State University, is part of a three-state team called the Tri-State Agricultural Distance Delivery Alliance that received the 1998 Barrier Buster Award at the Distance Teaching and Learning Conference held recently here.

The team was selected for the award by ADEC, an international distance education consortium. Other institutions with team members are the University of Idaho, Washington State University, Eastern Oregon University, Blue Mountain Community College, Walla Walla Community College and Treasure Valley Community College.

According to Fanno, the three universities began discussing the potential for developing a tri-state agricultural degree consortium in 1996. The concept was to deliver distance course work, via distance education networks, to community colleges and other learning centers, including Extension offices and industrial sites.

The program is aimed at individuals unable to access upper division university courses due to time or travel constraints, according to Fanno. The set of courses was mutually accepted by the three universities and organized to provide a bachelor of science degree in general agriculture.

Klamath Community College, Columbia Gorge Community College and Rogue Community College have expressed interest in joining during the next academic year. The program plans to have 70 courses ready for delivery by the fall of 1999, Fanno said.