Professors increasingly use e-mail to keep in touch with students and answer their questions, or to encourage class discussions online. Many universities now offer a wide selection of courses through distance education, using a variety of technologies including the Web, cable television, satellite transmission, interactive video and other virtual modes of delivery. Students who study at a distance also have access to many support systems, including counselling and study skills seminars, tutorial assistance by phone, fax or computer, and direct online links to libraries. Canadian universities can be accessed easily through the Internet. All 92 universities have rich Web sites packed with information of interest to prospective students.
University life extends beyond the lecture hall or lab.
Universities support students in many different ways from career, personal or academic counselling, to health services and assistance in finding off-campus housing. Many universities have services for students with specific needs, such as single parents, women, those with physical, sensory or learning disabilities, aboriginal students, part-time students, gays and lesbians, mature students and students of diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds. In addition, special programs are usually available to help first-year students boost their chances of success at university. Some universities offer for-credit courses aimed at integrating students to university life and studies. Other universities provide such assistance throughout the academic year, with workshops in areas such as essay and exam writing, study and research skills.