This publication is a guide to the type of technology modes, education models, and instructional methods used for teacher pre-service and in-service distance learning across the globe. The information here is based on three primary sources. The first is Education Development Center (EDC)’s long history in the area of distance-based education internationally—particularly in the area of interactive radio instruction (IRI) and interactive audio instruction (IAI)—and within the United States, especially in the area of online learning. The second is an extensive review of the literature on distance learning, technology, and professional development and interviews with distance learning planners and providers in the United States, Africa, and Asia. The third is the author’s involvement in distance learning for teachers and teacher trainers in the United States, Latin America, Asia, and Africa.

This guide places particular emphasis on the modes, models, and methods of distance learning used in many developing country contexts. Unlike most studies on distance education, it focuses less on the technical and administrative aspects of distance learning and much more on how various distance education technologies—both current and future—can support the actual teaching and learning process within distance education.