• Text media
• Audio (sound) media
• Visual (pictures) media
• Realia (things)
• World Wide Web
• Media selection

Design

• About the learners 
• Content taught
• Learning outcomes or objectives 
• Course structure 
• Interaction
• Evaluation 
• Course team

Instruction

• Instructor
• Audio conference
• Video conference
• Computer conference
• Correspondence
• Assignments and tests 
• Tutorial groups

Learner Support

• Pre-enrollment decisions 
• Study skills 
• Personal problems of learners 
• Learners with disabilities 
• Career and postgraduation counseling 
• Specialist counselors 
• Study centers 

• Integrated services digital network (ISDN)
• Microwave
• Coaxial cable
• Communications satellites
• Fiber optics
• The Internet

Broadcast and Computer-based

• Radio
• Television
• Instructional television fixed service (ITFS)
• On-line databases and services
• Hypertext and the Web
• Multimedia

Interpersonal Interaction

• Postal correspondence
• Electronic mail
• Computer conferencing
• Multi-user object-oriented environments (MOOs)
• Audioconferencing
• Audiographic conferencing
• Videoconferencing
• Desktop multimedia conferencing
• Integrated Web environments

Print and Recorded Delivery

• Newspapers
• Textbooks
• Correspondence units
• Study guides and course guides
• Audiocassettes
• Videocassettes
• Interactive videodisc

• Single-mode institutions
• Dual-mode institutions
• Mixed-mode institutions
• Consortia
• Distance Education Systems 
• Setting up distance education institutions 
• Quality management 

Operations

• Leadership
• Budget and resource allocation 
• Activity scheduling 
• Production and distribution 
• Course creation 
• Staff and faculty issues 
• Local and regional centers 

Managing Teaching and Learning

• Student operating system
• Recruitment and admissions
• Registration
• Student finances
• Managing instruction
• Examinations and credit issues
• Administering learner support 

Benefits and Costs

• Evaluating learning effectiveness
• Course evaluation
• Institutional evaluation and quality assurance
• Cost forecasting and cost analysis
• Cost effectiveness 
• Distance education for economic development

• Mandates and mission statements 
• Strategic planning 
• Faculty policy 
• Institutional change
• Resource allocation 
• Student policy
• Copyright and ownership 

National Policy

• National/regional differences
• Strategic planning 
• Private sector 
• Infrastructure policy and regulation
• Legislative issues
• Political leadership 

Global Policy

• Collaboration 
• Accreditation and certification 
• Cross-cultural issues
• Jurisdictional issues 
• International agencies 
• Innovation

Program and Sector Policy

• University level 
• Teacher education 
• Continuing education 
• Technical/vocational education 
• Primary and secondary education 
• Military & other Governmental Programs
  
• Proprietary