Defining “Distance Education” in Policy: Differences Among Federal, State, and Accreditation Agencies

There are many (many!) terms used in higher education to describe the wide variety of course delivery options used today. The definitions of said terms have important policy and practice implications for higher education institutions and stakeholders. This new report from WCET and SAN reviews the definitions of “Distance Education” and how it is commonly used in higher education policies. The purpose of the review is to highlight the challenges the varied definitions (of just this one term) can cause for colleges and universities as they attempt to adhere to compliance and other regulatory responsibilities.