Since then the organisation has played an active role in the development of distance education in Norway. NADE is a membership organisation, and members are both independent distance education institutions and other public and private institutions engaged in distance education, at all levels. NADE is a consultative and cooperating body for the Ministry of Education, Research and Church Affairs in matters concerning distance education. Technical means are being used to present the learning material and to mediate communication between teacher and students as a help in the learning process.
Distance education is a flexible learning method of level, target group and subject.
NADE underlines the special organisational structure of distance education and that there is real communication between the student and the teacher. This contact can be mediated through different kinds of media. Modern technology has accelerated the development of distance education in Norway. Distance education in Norway Norwegian distance education institutions have through cooperation with the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation and the Norwegian Telecom developed distance education programmes and methods that are among the most advanced in the world. Industry's increasing demand for further and continuing education and people's demand for lifelong learning have made distance education a suitable method for the development of learning-programmes specially designed for the training of the labour force.