Correspondence classes sent via the postal service were the first form of distance learning over 100 years ago. Today many different technologies including video, telephones, and the Internet can be used to support distance learning. As schools wrestle with problems of safety, facility shortages, and parental choice, distance learning will emerge as one partial solution. What follows is a fact sheet from the U.S. Distance Learning Association about current trends with Distance Learning. The points presented here are a starting point for imagining what's possible with distance learning.
Distance learning provides instruction through physical spaces and distances electronically.
Effectiveness studies have been consistent in showing that when used in business, military training, and adult learning, there is no significant difference in effectiveness between distance learning and traditional instruction methods, and student attitudes are generally positive about the experience. Providing courses for underserved or advanced students is the principal application of distance learning for K-12 education. However, it is being used for rural and inner city classes, enrichment, staff development and in-service training for teachers and administrators. Faced with retraining 50 million American workers, corporate America is using distance learning for all aspects of training both internally and externally. Many major corporations such as Hewlett-Packard save millions of dollars each year using distance learning to train employees more effectively and more efficiently than with conventional methods.