The Chronicle of Higher Education reports that lawmakers are seeking to block enforcement of the controversial "gainful employment" rule recently proposed by legislators:

Congressional critics of the Education Department's proposed "gainful employment" rule will offer an amendment to prohibit the department from using federal funds to enforce the rule during the current fiscal year ... lawmakers said Monday.

This law particularly affects for-profit universities, as it would cut off federal student aid to programs whose students do not meet minimum established standards for debt-to-income ratios and low-loan repayment rates. Many such programs are housed in for-profit universities.

For-profit universities can best serve their students -- and thus help themselves to meet new federal standards for funding -- by improving their methods of collecting and delivering data.

Pearson Learning Solutions, for example, has developed innovative learning platforms that facilitate engaging and effective online learning environments and course content. Such technologies enable institutions of higher learning to create, manage, and measure their online learning experiences.

Though many online universities have been in business for a decade or so, the field is still relatively new. More importantly, it remains open to innovation. The next few months will see dramatic changes in the industry. But as schools continue to adapt and refine their methods of instructional delivery, distance-learning providers will pave the way to educational and financial success.