LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – A state education official says demand for online distance learning courses in Nebraska schools could grow beyond what officials anticipate. Nebraska Department of Education liaison Brian Halstead testified Monday that a distance-learning incentive program launched in 2006 has worked well. Halstead told the Legislature’s Education Committee that the program will require continued partnership among educational service units, school districts, teachers and higher education officials. Several distance-learning experts told the Legislature’s Education Committee that the program has especially helped high-achieving students and those who struggle in a traditional learning environment. Officials say small, rural districts have turned to distance learning when schools lack resources. Halstead points to two aspects of Nebraska’s program that have helped it succeed: quality-control and accreditation requirements, and the use of certified teachers.