Table 1. Definition of Terms for Distance Education Modalities.
Audio conferencing: Class conducted by telephone using public lines between two or more remote locations with live, audio transmission. Students and faculty interact at regularly scheduled times using special equipment consisting of a speaker and microphones.
CD-ROM (Compact Disk-Read Only Memory): An optical storage system for computers that only allows data to be read off the disk. New data cannot be stored, and the disk cannot be erased for reuse. The high-quality color images produced can be incorporated into an electronic presentation or computer-based instruction.
Chat rooms: Two or more people set a time to meet online and communicate with each other live, using the keyboard to send written messages.
Compressed video conferencing: A course method in which images are transmitted electronically to two or more interactive television sites.
Computer conferencing: Form of communication where two or more participants can communicate using a computer connected by networks or phone lines. Students and faculty can type information (asynchronously or in real time) and respond to assignments/tasks on the computer screens.
Correspondence study: Courses are packaged with reading materials and assignments. Instructional tools may include audiotapes and/or videotapes that cover specific topic areas.
Electronic mail (e-mail): Messages, usually text, sent from one person to another via computer are used in courses as a communication tool among faculty and students. In this system, messages are automatically passed from one computer user to another through computer networks.
Electronic reserve: Used in courses as a tool for remote access of class materials. With this system, students may view, print, or download course material such as lecture notes, exams, journal articles, and book chapters.
Listservs: Electronic mailing lists used to allow students to communicate with one another. Users send e-mail to one address, whereupon their message is copied and sent to all of the other subscribers to the mailing list.
Telecourses: Courses in video format that are delivered via television or videotape. Course can be delivered live or taped.
Videotape distribution: Courses offered on campus are videotaped and distributed to students. It is the students’ responsibility to view videotapes and complete assignments, readings, and tasks.
Video teleconferencing (Interactive television): A course broadcast between two or more remote locations, with live, animated image transmission and display. Faculty and students can interact with each other with no delay.
Web conferencing (Chat rooms): A course system that allows two or more logged-in users to set up a typed, real-time, online conversation across the World Wide Web.
WWW: Courses are distributed on the World Wide Web in a retrieval system in which documents formatted in HyperText Markup Language (HTML) are linked via Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) to other documents, as well as audio, video, and graphics files. By using a Web browser and clicking on hot spots, students can connect across the Internet and access course materials.
