The global knowledge, technological, and communication revolutions underway today have affected education systems in the Arab world and prompted these countries to reconsider strategies and policies related to distance learning. The responses from Arab educational institutions after the outbreak of COVID-19 have also created the need to…

Inclusion has traditionally been conceptualised as integrating children into the formal schooling system. Recent research conducted in South Asia, however, adds to evidence that the huge number of children out of school and the diversity of their needs can only be met by a diversity of provision, formal and non-formal; that because many state…

Open and distance learning (ODL) is enjoying phenomenal growth in Asian higher education, new forms of provision are being developed, new institutions are being established and there is a surge in online export and import. However, there is still need to ensure that increasing access does not result in lowering standards and to prove that ODL is…

Presents a historical explanation of Hong Kong's expanding higher education sector. Describes quality assurance mechanisms deployed by the Open Learning Institute of Hong Kong to review and assess its own development, the degree programs it offers, and the courses in each degree program. (Author/JMV)

Examines implications of quality assessment for distance education and other forms of materials-based learning. Suggests that materials-based teaching cannot properly be judged in quite the same terms as conventional, face-to-face teaching. Presents and discusses 20 questions for program evaluation. (Author/AEF)

Outlines the course development of an introductory large-scale distance education course offered via the World Wide Web at the Open University in the United Kingdom. Topics include developing appropriate student skills; maintaining quality control; facilitating easy updating of material; ensuring student interaction; and making materials…