This book contains the following papers on open and distance learning today: "Preface" (Daniel); "Big Bang Theory in Distance Education" (Hawkridge); "Practical Agenda for Theorists of Distance Education" (Perraton); "Trends, Directions and Needs: A View from Developing Countries" (Koul); "American Distance Education" (Moore); "Creating the Future" (Bates); "Student Learning and Students' Experiences" (Morgan); "Potential of Research with Students to Inform Development" (Evans); "Still Seeking the Audience?" (Harris); "Information Technology and Disabled Students: Overcoming Barriers to Learning" (Vincent); "See What I Mean? Where Compressed Digital Videoconferencing Works" (Latchem); "Teaching and Learning by Satellite in a European Virtual Classroom" (Keegan); "Dimension of Image Types in Educational Multimedia Materials" (Whalley); "Over the Threshold: Media Technologies for Home Learning" (Kirkwood); "Empathy Templates: A Way to Support Collaborative Learning" (Zimmer); "Electronic Highway or Weaving Loom? Thinking about Conferencing Technologies for Learning" (Burge); "Use of Hypermedia and Telecommunications for Case-Study Discussions in Distance Education" (Romiszowski); "Challenge Facing Course Design" (Thorpe); "Model-Based Design Approach for the Flexibilisation of Courses" (Valcke, Vuist); "Students' Perception of, and Response to, Formative and Summative Assessment Material" (Lockwood); "Using Electronic Networking for Assessment" (Mason); "Research and Pragmatism in Learner Support" (Robinson); "Student Support in Open and Distance Learning" (Tait); "Support for the In-Company Learner" (Lewis); "Implementing Experiences from Small-Scale Courses to Large Education Systems" (Aalto, Jalava); "Managing Learning Support" (Reid); "Layout and Design of Textual Materials for Distance Learning" (Hartley); "Using Instructional Illustrations for Distance Education" (Lowe); "Development of Printed Materials" (Macdonald-Ross); "Contemporary Developments in the Typographical Design of Instructional Texts for Open and Distance Learning" (Dekkers, Kemp); "Electronic Layout and Design Visions of the Future" (Lefrere); "Building Good Quality In, Rather than Inspecting Bad Quality Out" (Koumi); "Course Evaluation and Academic Quality" (Chambers); "String of Pearls? A Broader Approach to Course Evaluation" (Woodley); and "Evaluation and Self-Improving Systems" (Calder). Many papers include substantial bibliographies. (MN)