Distance education is defined, the various approaches for effective research are summarized, and the results of major research reviews of the field are explained in this article. Additionally, two major areas of research are included--research on barriers to the adoption of distance education and research summaries that explain and support best practices in the field. This paper concludes with the summary statement that "it is not different education, it is distance education"; what is known about effectiveness in education is most often also applicable to distance education.