In order to be effective, instruction must be more than tailored to the individual: it must be a part of a larger system designed to support individualized learning. An effective individualized instructional environment is a dynamic system; it involves instructors who embrace the concept of individualizing instruction, and provides guidance to students throughout their educational lives, attending to their personal needs. In a Personalized Independent Learning System (PILS), the learning experiences are personalized in two ways: the content chosen reflects an individual's needs, and the learning process reflects an individual's needs. Independence is encouraged in PILS by focusing on producing autonomous, self-regulated learners. Emphasis is placed on developing learners' metacognitive and critical thinking skills and ability to function as experts within their domain. A PILS environment is characterized by learning outcomes rather than the instructional materials involved, and it approaches education systematically. Networked computer technologies such as teleconferencing, the World Wide Web, and e-mail can provide valuable support to PILS. (Contains 17 references.) (AEF)