Students can be anywhere, from the shop floor to an aircraft carrier at sea. Instruction can be degree coursework or proprietary training. Distance learning models are as varied and numerous as the courses themselves. The most effective distance learning courses possess special design features that take advantage of the medium of distribution and the nature of the subject being taught. In this way, course can be tailored to suit the student population being served, the needs of the professor, the educational institution and the partner organizations.
Models are continuously modified and new ones created.
Interactivity between instructor and student and among students as a group, is an important part of the learning process. There are a number of support technologies that foster interactivity in the distance learning environment. These include electronic bulletin boards, internet, e-mail, fax, IRC chat groups, telephone, and snail mail. Electronic bulletin boards allow for open discussions and question and answer sessions on a time-shifting basis. They also facilitate group projects, as do e-mail and IRC chat groups on the internet.