Distance education is defined, for the purposes of accreditation review, as a formal educational process in which the majority of the instruction occurs when student an d instructo r are not in the same place. Instruction may be synchronous or asynchronous. Distance Education may employ correspondence study, audio, video, or computer technologies. Distance education can include courses and programs based on correspondence study, videotaped classroom presentations, telecourses, interactive audio and video, multimedia, and computer technology, among others. Distance education is, by its nature, a flexible form of education, as it creates options for students in terms of where and when they learn.
Asynchronous communication emphasizes individual learning.
Students access learning when and where they choose. Videotapes belong in this category as do email, listservs, correspondence courses, and Web-based courses. Asynchronous communication can involve group learning. Distance education raises unique concerns related to quality. From a student s perspective, for example, the educational experience of earning a degree at a distance via computer technology is likely to be radically different from the experience of studying on campus.