The role of educational media and technology personnel in the development of distance education curriculum is the focus of this fact sheet. The definition and background of distance education are briefly described as nontraditional education involving communication between teachers and learners by such means as correspondence, radio, and…

This document reviews the history of distance education (DE) in the United States beginning with the early years of correspondence study, radio, and television. It chronicles the rise of DE universities internationally, the impact of the Internet and Web-based education, and the emergence of virtual universities. The paper discusses the emergence…

This study provides an extensive review of the literature on distance education and of representative distance education projects and institutions in the United States and abroad, emphasizing those using telecommunications technologies. The introductory section includes a sketch of the information age and its implications for adult education and…