ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the creation and expansion of an online consortium for less commonly taught languages (LCTLs) among three universities: Duke University, the University of Virginia (UVA), and Vanderbilt University. Founded in 2013, the consortium aims to improve access to LCTLs, share resources, and increase enrollments in those courses. The consortium currently offers elementary and intermediate courses in four languages—Haitian Creole and Turkish at Duke, Swahili at UVA, and K’iche’ Maya at Vanderbilt—and is in the process of expansion. The language courses were conceived to be taught synchronously and in person at the host university via telecommunications classrooms; this platform has now been replaced with Zoom.
In this chapter, the authors detail the challenges they have experienced as they have developed their partnership, including rotating directors, distinct administrative policies, and uneven enrollment across languages and institutions. They conclude by sharing the best practices that they have developed in response to these challenges, emphasizing both flexibility and open communication.
