• Independent study of course materials and resources—the courseware that makes up the physical, mediated content of the course
• Interaction with other course participants (tutors, instructors, other learners, resource people).

Interaction in distance education has traditionally taken place at periodic face-to-face tutorials in local study centers or during longer contact sessions or residential schools. But an increasingly varied range of technologies for interaction at a distance are now available that can complement or even substitute for face-to-face interaction. In some cases the same technology—such as videoconferencing, audiographic conferencing, or the Web—might be used to both support interactions and transmit content, but in most cases different technologies are used for these purposes.

The communications technologies used to support interaction in distance education can be divided into two broad categories:

• Asynchronous (or deferred-time) technologies, which do not require participants to be present simultaneously. Examples include postal correspondence, electronic mail, and computer conferencing.
• Synchronous (or real-time) technologies, which require participants to interact at the same time, generally prearranged. These technologies include telephony, audioconferencing, audiographic conferencing, videoconferencing, and multi-user object-oriented environments (MOOs).

Recently distance education systems have begun to use technologies that combine asynchronous and synchronous communication with computer-based courseware, such as multimedia desktop conferencing and integrated Web environments.

• Postal correspondence
  
• Electronic mail
  
• Computer conferencing
  
• Multi-user object-oriented environments (MOOs)
  
• Audioconferencing
  
• Audiographic conferencing
  
• Videoconferencing
  
• Desktop multimedia conferencing
  
• Integrated Web environments

More resources:

Efendioglu, Alev. and Murray, L.W. 2000. "Education at a Distance: Teaching Executives in China". T H E Journal, Jan 2000, Vol. 27, Issue 6.

Yoshida, M. et al. (1999), Characteristics of Communication within a Video Conference Class and Anticipatory Strategies for its Limitation, In Research Report. Media in Higher Education and Instructional Skill Development. Various Aspects of Media Utilization and Faculty Support. (Saga, H.: Principal Investigator), Research Report of National Institute of Multimedia Education, 09-1999-9, pp.121-131.