In an effort to facilitate communication between East and West, Arab Academy, the first online school, university, and library offering Arabic language programs, hopes to bridge the gap between Arabs and non-Arabs. Launched September 2000, their new online service also attempts to give non Arabs and Arabs living abroad a chance to understand and learn all forms of Arabic, whether modern standard, colloquial or business for all age groups and language levels.

Director of Arab Academy Sanaa Ghanem considers the online program to be a humble attempt at melting the icy barrier between East and West. She believes Arabs need to reach Americans and Europeans who, she is convinced, receive biased impressions through Western media. "Our presence online is a natural step toward spreading and teaching Arabic language and culture. We have to project our true selves to the world. Arabs have provided humanity the basics of all sciences and arts, and if we do not follow the technology, we will fall way behind," Ghanem says. "Learning Arabic hasn't been an easy task for foreigners and Arab children raised abroad," she continues. "For many reasons, Arabic learners have not found it as easy as other languages. That is why this online program was launched."

Julia, an American student living in France, says that although she believes most learners prefer a live classroom, "The Academy helps those who do not have access to live classroom learning." Where Julia lives, Arabic lessons are not offered. "Many of us are also at home with children and cannot make arrangements to attend a class outside home," she continues, "Some of us have strange work schedules which also prevents us from attending a normal class. The Academy allows us to work at our own pace right from our own homes, yet still provides us with interaction with other students and a sense of community."

Though there are approximately 1 billion Muslims around the world, 200 million of them Arabs, there are not enough books, teaching methods, qualified experts or schools. Arab Academy provides Arabic language seekers, whether individuals or institutions, with all levels starting from kindergarten to university. Institutions are able to teach all the courses offered and the Academy uses special software to monitor attendance, participation and test results. "Our online courses are being used by various institutions which have partnered with us worldwide. Among these institutions are Pennsylvania's Cyber State School, L'Institut Franco Americain du Management, which offers an MBA program that is accredited by the French Ministry of Education, and American Mercy Institute for Science and Research, an online U.S.-based university accredited by An-Nuur University in Damascus," says Ghanem.

The Academy's academic system is fully automated. Logging on and off for each session records attendance which counts for 10 percent of the grade. Tests are given through the examination center and count for 70 percent. Deadlines are strictly observed and each test is given only once. Exam time is recorded and, if exceeded, the punctuality score which counts for another 10 percent will be affected. Students can only retake tests if they have technical difficulties.

Class participation is highly encouraged and counts for 10 percent of the final grade. Discussion "boards" or channels for communication help developing relationships between students and teachers. Through these boards, learners from different nationalities have the chance to meet and discuss their culture or religion objectively without biases based on looks, nationality or religion. Online participation circumvents many of the difficulties that "offline" learners face. Among these are embarrassments resulting from "stupid" questions, various skill levels and time constraints. "This is what makes this online program effective and beneficial. Students come on their own time and leave when satisfied," says Ghanem who, after comparing both methods, noticed huge differences between "typical" classrooms and online programs. "You decide when and how much to study and practice. Italian student Giancarlo agrees: "You don't have to study when you may not feel like it, so you make up by studying more intensively when your concentration is higher." Giancarlo has always had a fascination with the Arab world, and joining the Academy, he felt, was the only way for him to keep learning and improving. The quality of the courses has convinced him that this is the best way to learn Arabic. "The online campus is very well structured and a student has every chance to improve his or her level in all aspects of the language," Giancarlo explains. Furthermore, the staff at the Academy are very flexible and responsive to students' needs. "In my case, for my specific needs, the Academy has been the only credible answer after years of searching and browsing the Internet," he says.

Giancarlo has also taken a course on the Quran, which he found to be extremely useful in improving his knowledge of the language, the holy book and the history of the Arab world.

"The tragic events of September 11 and their aftermath have indicated that there is a strong need to learn more about Islam to promote global understanding and tolerance," says Ghanem. Accordingly, Arab Academy has started a new service called Islam Line. This facility allows visitors to ask questions about Islam and get a response within 48 hours from a scholar at Al Azhar. Questions can be posted in English, German, French or Arabic.

"I strongly recommend that anyone interested in Arabic learning get involved with the Academy. For those who want to learn Arabic, this is a fantastic, cutting-edge and unique place to do so. For those who know Arabic already, they can help the Academy develop and grow with their knowledge and experience. I see the Academy as a sort of 'global microcommunity,' a way of uniting people who have a love for Arabic and Islamic learning," American student Julia says. "It's far better than just chatting on a discussion board, we are a team working together on a community project toward a viable goal. When I used to surf other Islamic Websites for information, I wasted a lot of time and got little knowledge or benefit in return. The vast majority of Web forums for Muslims contain a lot of empty chat, bickering and arguments, and no real learning despite all the articles available on them. In contrast, the Academy is a dynamic and rich source of learning, and the time and money you invest in it yields a huge return." *

by: Yasmin Abbas