Frequently Asked Questions

 

 

The eTAP Teaching Assistance Program is able to offer more value because:Back to Top

• eTAP is designed for self-instruction by the student or with guidance by the parent, reducing the high administration costs charged by other programs,
• it is online, eliminating the cost of printing textbooks, and other instructional materials,
• we rely on word-of-mouth referrals, instead of expensive marketing campaigns and sales staff, (Please tell your friends so we can keep our membership costs low!)
• eTAP is a non-profit organization, providing affordable quality education materials as our corporate mission.

 

Is eTAP a good value for my limited homeschooling budget? Back to Top

Many homeschoolers have told us that other programs asked them to pay $1,000 for registration only. Other sites charge yearly for one subject and one grade. Our standard membership provides you all grades and subjects for the entire family. Yes, our membership fee of $39 per month includes access to all grades and subjects, plus includes test prep courses for the SAT, GED, ACT, etc. Also our "all-in-one" program saves the cost of buying a different program for each subject and/or grade. We have done the research to find all the free internet educational resources and connected them with the appropriate instructional item. This saves time and gives the homeschooler a more seamless educational experience.

 

Is the eTAP Teaching Assistance Program accredited? Back to Top

The State of California has reviewed our program and found it to be in compliance with their state standards. Each state, however, has its own system of approval. Most states have found eTAP's content satisfactory for homeschool use and some states are using it for their public school programs. You can request that your local school officials review our website.

 

Who created the eTAP materials? Back to Top

eTAP's instruction was developed by experienced curriculum developers who have also created materials for leading publishers, including McGraw-Hill and Prentice Hall. Many of our authors also hold PhDs in their subject area and have held teaching positions at schools across the country. And to assure your confidence, our materials have also been reviewed by the CLRN (California Learning Resources Network) and are in compliance with the standards of the California State Board of Education. .

 

What do we need for our child to advance from homeschool or independent study to college? What credentials do they earn? Back to Top

Although eTAP does not grant its own high school diploma, students may easily qualify for college admission by passing the GED (General Educational Development) test. This nationally-recognized exam certifies the taker has attained high school-level academic skills. For most purposes, a GED is considered to be equivalent to a high school diploma. Approximately 95% of colleges will accept GED graduates, though they often additionally require an SAT and/or ACT. If a 4-year college will not accept a GED graduate, they can attend any community college in the United States, after which they can transfer to almost any four-year university. Test Preparation for all three of these exams is provided with the eTAP membership at no additional cost. In addition to the GED, eTAP.org provides several options for a diploma. Visit our High School Curriculum detail for further information.

 

How do we find out the homeschool laws for our state? Back to Top

Home School Legal Defense Association provides a comprehensive list of State Homeschool Laws. Or search on Google for "Homeschooling (your state)." This will connect you with local home school information and support groups that list your state's requirements. We also recommend Homeschooling support organizations, such as, California Homeschool Network, Texas Home School Coalition, and New York Home Educator’s Netwo.

 

What Student Progress Documentation is needed to meet our State or Charter School requirements? Back to Top

If you are a parent using eTAP to supervise your child's education at home, we recommend a portfolio record of all work, including worksheets, problems and tests that your student completes. Because eTAP meets national and key state standards, you can use this record to satisfy local state officials as to how you are or have been educating your children. Should you later decide to enroll your child in a traditional school, this portfolio will serve as a strong grade placement guideline.

 

Why are eTAP's lessons and units of instruction so short? Back to Top

The lessons are short to allow mastery in the learning process. This is especially important for students with different learning styles. Many researchers say that students are motivated by success. In our school testing, the shorter instruction increased student success and positively affected student motivation. Your student may always move forward at a quicker pace, if their understanding comes faster.

 

Why does eTAP only cover the basic content? Back to Top

You may have noticed that we provide links to free You Tube videos, such as Khan Academy, which are very popular with students. We have also provided connection to many free offsite learning resources on the internet, included games like Triple A Math, online quizzes, and static materials. Our text content and extensive assessment tools focus on a basic understanding of each subject. Yet, with all the free videos and other resources at your fingertips, our program may be the most comprehensive learning site available.

 

How does eTAP address the problems of Spiral Education? Back to Top

Our program is student-centered and designed to satisfy each student's individual needs. Using the internet as our delivery platform allows us to connect with a large amount of instructional videos, education games, and graphic-rich resources. Students’ learning resource selections often provide insight into their learning style and how to best develop their comprehension and subject mastery. We feel that eTAP focuses on the individual needs of students more extensively than any of our competitors.

 

What are the system requirements for eTAP?

eTAP instruction is delivered via the internet. The only requirements for using eTAP are an internet browser and an internet connection. Some lessons may have resources that require Adobe Reader or FlashPlayer, which are both available for free download. eTAP has been tested using the Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Internet Explorer browsers.

What resources are available for audio learners?

There are a number of text-to-speech tools available to help students who learn better from hearing the lessons than from reading them.  The University of Michigan's Dyslexia Help program has assembled a list of these tools, which covers major browsers and operating systems.

Additional plugins are:

TTS Reader (Chrome)
Select and Speak (Chrome)
Google Dictionary (Chrome)

What if I need eTAP in a language other than English?

Most eTAP pages include a Google Translate "widget" that will translate the page into most languages.

There are also several free online tools that will translate the eTAP website into languages other than English.

The Chrome browser includes Google Translate, and will automatically offer to translate most pages, one you have set your preferred languages.

The Firefox browser can have this feature added, by installing the a plugin such as Google Translator for Firefox.

Safari users can add this feature by installing an extension like Translate Safari.