Distance Education

The 21st century brings with it a constantly expanding number of ways in which education can be effectively delivered to learners. More than 90 percent of all accredited U.S. colleges and universities that have 10,000 or more students now offer distance education programs. This section provides the background information you need to pursue this relatively new form of study. It includes information on what distance education is, how to choose the most appropriate program for you, and where and how to locate more information on distance education programs.

Distance education is a type of formal learning in which the student and the instructor are not in the same place at the same time. It may be synchronous or asynchronous. If distance education is synchronous, instruction is given at a particular time and, usually, at specific locations. If distance education is asynchronous, instruction can be received by students wherever and whenever they desire, as long as they have access to the Internet or, in the case of correspondence education, to the mail.

• Distance Education EducationUSA/Department of State
• Peterson's Guide to Distance Learning
  Searchable for accredited distance learning courses by school name, degree, or subject
• Degree.Net
  All about distance education from the publisher of the standard publication "Bears' Guide to Earning Degrees by Distance Learning
• Distance Education & Training Council
  The Distance Education and Training Council has been the standard-setting agency for correspondence study and distance education institutions since it was established in 1926. Its purpose is "to foster and preserve high quality, educationally sound and widely accepted distance education and independent learning institutions.
• Distance Education Clearinghouse
  Managed and maintained by the University of Wisconsin-Extension, in cooperation with its partners and other University of Wisconsin institutions
• National Universities Degree Consortium
  All about distance Education (read the general information first)
• E-College
  Course Finder by degree, subjects and location.
• GetEductated.com
  Accessible directory of online-colleges and virtual universities