In 43 states across the nation, if you're watching the newly produced program designed to help adults prepare for the GED, you're watching Kentuckians.

        Public television stations all over the country have contracted to run GED Connections, the new high school equivalency preparation TV course produced by Kentucky Educational Television, the Bluegrass state's public television network.

        KET, based in Lexington, has aired GED preparation programs to help adults prepare at home for their General Education Development test, the equivalent of a high school diploma, since the 1970s. To keep up with the new 2002 GED test redesign, KET will launch GED Connections on its airwaves Feb. 19.

        Gary Mire, Life-Long Learning coordinator at Louisiana Public Broadcasting, a state network of six non-commercial TV stations, said that the old GED on TV program was successful in Louisiana and that the station has already started airing GED Connections on Saturdays.

        “It's exceptional, the highest level you could have,” said Mr. Mire, who has worked in adult education for 15 years. “I'm impressed. They left you enough leeway to modify for local needs.”

        He said he particularly liked the supplemental Web component and the video explanation for learners on the differences between the old GED test and the 2002 redesign of the test.

        GED Connections shows Kentuckians, such as Lexington author George Ella Lyon and Newport Aquarium biologist David Babb, demonstrating how people use GED skills in everyday life.

        The program also features national figures, such as former gang member and author Louis Rodriguez.

        Divided into five subjects — reading, writing, social studies, science and math — GED Connections will be broadcast weekly in most states, including Ohio and Indiana. The program, which took three years to complete, is made up of 39 half-hour video segments, in addition to workbooks, online supplemental lessons and a telephone support system.

        Sharon Jackson, director of GED Connections at Morehead State University, the center that provides enrollment and support for GED Connections learners, said that learning at home has many advantages.

        “The convenience of the program helps a lot of people who have transportation problems or have child-care issues,” Ms. Jackson said. “And the need for privacy: Some people don't want anyone to know that they never finished school.”

        Wanda Cremeans of Ashland, who left high school during her senior year in 1978, is one of more than 16,000 Kentuckians who have passed their GED test with KET's GED programming. About 900,000 adults in Kentucky do not have a high school diploma.

        The wife of an EMT/firefighter and mother of two, Mrs. Cremeans studied periodically for three years before earning her GED in June.

        “Without their help, I never would have made it,” Mrs. Cremeans, 42, said. “This has been my whole dream since I had quit school, to go back and finish.”

        Mrs. Cremeans said that KET's TV program allowed her to study while her children were at school and in the evening. She intends to continue her education, possibly through more KET telecourses, after her husband obtains his degree.

        John Boulmetis, former president of the American Association for Adult & Continuing Education, said that when long-distance learning began in the 1970s, Kentucky was an innovator, producing in GED on TV an extensive package that was of good visual quality. He attributes the initial program's wide broadcast and long life to KET's early innovation and ability to capture information that was not just locally focused.

        Since GED Connections advertisements began Jan. 10, at least 1,425 people have called about the course, according to Ms. Jackson, who said that about one-third would enroll. Enrollment covers a learner's diagnostic test, workbooks, phone support and the GED test fee for $40.

        Since Kentucky offers free GED testing until June 30, if an enrolled student can take the test before that date, GED Connections will reimburse the learner $30.

        Enrollment deadline for the Feb. 19 GED Connections is Tuesday. Five cycles run each year, with the next one after February starting in April. The program typically takes five months.

        Call (800) 538-4433 to enroll.
       

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