This article was originally presented as a position paper at the Symposium on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for Social Development held in Jakarta by the ASEAN Foundation Collaboratory (May 2006). Its main premise is that, while there is growing use of open and distance learning (ODL) in formal and nonformal education and training in Asia, planning and practice are not always informed by rigorous and sustained research and evaluation. The article identifies shortcomings in current ODL research, and suggests ways of advancing the research agenda in open and distance learning in Asia to provide strategically significant and robust information for policy makers, planners, and managers; to improve professional understanding and practice; and to enable ODL to become a more scholarly activity. (Contains 3 tables and 20 notes.)