The academic freedom of institutions: Higher education institutions in the US have the freedom to define their own curricula and teaching methods. This means that institutions can offer free courses, even if these courses are not traditional.
No accreditation requirement for open courses: US laws and regulations do not require that open courses be accredited by an agency recognized by the Department of Education. This means that institutions can offer free courses without having to go through an accreditation process.
The possibility of offering free courses online: Department of Education regulations allow institutions to offer courses online. This means that institutions can offer free courses online, which can increase access to these courses.