Distance is no longer an obstacle to higher education. Many people in Maine towns today enjoy taking college courses from a distance through television and computer technologies. And higher education is also possible for people with severe time constraints. Many courses are offered asynchronously, meaning students may do the coursework at their own pace and at their own convenience. Flexibility and convenience are the hallmarks of distance and asynchronous instructional technologies.
Students can also take asynchronous courses on a home computer - any time, any place.
Students no longer need to occupy a certain desk in a certain classroom in a certain building on a certain campus. Homebound people with disabilities also enjoy the opportunity to access higher education from the desktop of their home computers. Distance technologies also bring professors and students from around the world to participate in University of Maine courses. Maine professors are able to instruct their distance students from a research center in Brazil or from whatever part of the world their research takes them. International students, too, take University of Maine classes, bringing people together as a worldwide community of learners.