It gives a great calculus teacher the chance to teach 100 million people. People who are not famous will do it for recognition, Saylor said, while famous people will do it for posterity. People will want to be part of it. He envisions a course on the Vietnam War that will include videotapes not only of the fighting but also of Henry Kissinger and Robert McNamara talking about their reasons for escalating the war. He said he's discussed the idea with famous people interested in cooperating.
Several senators are on record as applauding the idea.
Saylor said he's talked to members of Congress about allowing students to use federal grants to buy the hardware and software needed. Other online universities have pioneered cyberspace. GWU offers a master's in education and human development. The University of Maryland offers campus-free bachelor's degrees in a number of subjects. Most universities are experimenting with distance learning or figuring out how to get into the exploding field.