Description:The innovations in computer and communications technologies combined with on-going needs to deliver education programs to students regardless of their physical locations, have lead to the innovation of distance education programs and technologies. To keep up with recent developments in both areas of technologies and techniques related to distance education programs, educators, administrators, and researchers are in constant needs of learning about issues, solutions, and challenges of these technologies. The Encyclopedia of Distance Learning, Second Edition offers the most comprehensive coverage of the issues, concepts, trends, and technologies of distance learning. Hundreds of international contributors have provided extensive coverage of topics such as workforce training, accessing education, digital divide, and the evolution of distance and online education into a multibillion dollar enterprise, which has been thoroughly examined in this 4-volume set encyclopedia. Each volume is edited by a leading international expert(s) with a long list of contributions focusing on the theme of the volume. This authoritative 4-volume encyclopedia is considered the foremost reference source for the latest understanding, discoveries, and research in the field of distance learning.