By 1992, there were more than 15,000 sites and over 2,000 newsgroups on Usenet. Distance education is emerging as a new way to learn. At its most basic level, distance education takes place between an instructor and a student that are separated by physical distance. Another advantage of text-based medium of communication is removing barriers based on prejudices concerning race, gender, age, physical handicaps, etc. By the millennium, the majority of students in higher education will be 25 year of age and older.
Adults are very busy juggling schedules and trying to find time to further their education.
The personal computer is becoming a standard household appliance. The university environment will change substantially. Universities are notoriously slow to change. The traditional way of instructing will have to change, as more students want to attend courses from their home or office. One could think well, they are not real colleges and universities, but upon reading the sample list at the end of the article, one might start to ponder the advantages of distant learning.