Distance teaching is spreading to almost all areas of education and training as governments become aware of its potential to deal effectively with many of the problems they face. Governments have devoted significant resources to solving deficiencies and developmental needs using distance education techniques in such high-priority areas as primary and secondary education and teacher education. And they have recognized that such techniques are often effective in meeting the education and continuing education needs of such groups as professionals, the military, or prison inmates.

At each level of education the issues that must be addressed differ with the needs and circumstances of potential students and with the type of distance education. In designing solutions to the wide range of issues, distance educators and policymakers need to consider such questions as these:

• What issues are involved in university-level distance education?
• How does distance education help governments meet needs in teacher education?
• How does distance education help meet professionals' needs for continuing education?
• What are the issues relating to technical and vocational education at a distance?
• How has distance education contributed in primary and secondary education?
• What contribution can distance education make in military and other forms of government education and training?
• What is the situation of proprietary distance education institutions?

可供進一步參考的材料:

吉田文 (1999) 日本遠程研究生教育發展的新趨勢，國立多媒體教育發展中心，第9-10卷，第153期， 80-84頁。
Yoshida, Aya (1999), 'The new movement of graduate program of study in distance education in Japan', National Institute of Multi-media Education, Vol. 9-10, No. 153, pp. 80-84

胡順哉 (2002) 現代遠程教育條件下基層電大師資轉型研究，電大教學，第150期，2002年，第3號，41-43頁。

方舟、陸海雲 (2002) 現代遠程教育的功能、實踐與評價，遠程教育雜誌，第148期，2002年，第1號，6-10頁。

李麗萍 (2001) 網絡學校的特點及與傳統學校的融合，電大教學，第147期，2001年，第6號，11-14頁。