After print, the humble audiocassette is the most widely used technology indistance education, in both single- and dual-mode institutions. Audiotapes arecheap to produce and distribute, can be listened to almost anywhere, and can beeasily reused. In arts, science, and technology courses they can be used inconjunction with print materials (diagrams, illustrations, photographs) toprovide "audiovision," with an instructor or expert providing commentary andguidance as the student views the material. The educational potential of audioin such subjects as drama, poetry, and music is self-evident. Audiotapes canprovide instructions for hands-on manipulations or procedures ranging fromcarrying out a home experiment to learning to use computer software. And theycan personalize a print-based distance education course, enabling the student tohear the instructor's voice as he or she explains concepts developed in theprint materials.
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