RECENT TRENDS AND EVIDENCES OF PROGRESS IN CORRESPONDENCE EDUCATION IN THE NETHERLANDS ARE CONSIDERED, TOGETHER WITH RESEARCH ON THE SOCIOCULTURAL AND MOTIVATIONAL ASPECTS OF PARTICIPATION IN CORRESPONDENCE STUDY, AND THE SPECIAL FUNCTIONS AND ADVANTAGES OF THE CORRESPONDENCE METHOD. THEORIES AND IDEAS UNDERLYING THE DIDACTICS OF CORRESPONDENCE EDUCATION ARE DISCUSSED, WITH EMPHASIS ON THE PRINCIPLES OF CONTEXT, FOCUS, SOCIALIZATION, INDIVIDUALIZATION (SELF-ACTIVITY), SEQUENCE, AND EVALUATION AS COMPONENTS OF EFFECTIVE CORRESPONDENCE STUDY AND TEACHING. PROVISIONS FOR SUPERVISING COMMERCIAL AND OTHER DUTCH CORRESPONDENCE SCHOOLS--LARGELY THE CONCERN OF THE FOUNDATION INSPECTION OF EDUCATION BY CORRESPONDENCE--ARE REVIEWED AND EVALUATED. (THE DOCUMENT INCLUDES LISTS OF ACCREDITED COMMERCIAL AND NONPROFIT CORRESPONDENCE SCHOOLS AND THEIR COURSE OFFERINGS, CONDITIONS FOR ACCREDITATION OF SUCH SCHOOLS IN THE NETHERLANDS, AND DIAGRAMS OF THE DUTCH EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM.) THIS DOCUMENT IS AVAILABLE FROM THE LEIDSCHE ONDERWIJSINSTELLINGEN, LEIDEN, HOLLAND. (LY)