Much of the impetus for development of DE in the first wave came from a

push for greater accessibility to post-secondary education. Holmberg

(2005) quotes both Ljos (1992) and Wedemeyer (1981) in identifying
principles of DE that speak directly to widening access and providing more
and better opportunities for participation.

Do these same principles hold today?

Is DE still serving the needs of the educationally disadvantaged?
What is the responsibility of DE to serve underserved populations?

Historically, distance education was created to allow a wider population of

students to access knowledge to improve their lives. Originally, Haughty (2010)
cites examples of early correspondence education where students engaged in
learning through mailed materials. She then explains that thanks to the printed
press, books and their contents gradually became more accessible to a broader
society and knowledge was no longer an elite commodity (2010, p. 13). This, in my
opinion, summarizes the mission of distance education. Though in the past
correspondence education was saved for a selected few, distance education has
grown and opened many avenues for all types of students.
This cannot be truer than in developing countries where access to organized
educational settings can be challenging. In Ghana for instance, Dr. Oteng-Ababio
(2011) explains that space is limited at the universities. He shares that in essence,
DE decreases the problem of overcrowding in many Ghanaian universities (2011).
We also need to consider the geographical situation for many students in
developing countries. Most of the universities that students can attend are located
in the main cities of a country. As such, many students who live in rural areas do not
have access to higher education therefore, education then is not considered a
priority. With the assistance of DE, these students are not able to engage in
learning, better their lives, and help their country solve many of its problems.
Thompson & et al (2014) argue that through the use of information communication
technology (ICT) in DE Ghana is developing its socioeconomic development and
bridging the gender gap in social, economic and political development.
These reasons support the idea that DE is, should be, and will continue to be
responsible for underserved students. Considering its history and the impact it can
have on developing countries, DE is an avenue that allows students in constraining
financial, geographical, social and political situations to find a voice, an education
and help them help themselves and others. This type of education is one of the few
that can reach a wide population and provide them with the skills, tools, and
knowledge to change their lives and the world around them. Distance education
does not owe anything to anyone, but to keep its values consistent and at its core, it
must serve students who have limited access to other forms of education.
Even in developed countries, DE also helps students from minorities or whose
jobs make it very difficult to get a traditional education. I am a great example of
this. I am not in a financial place where I could afford a 55 thousand dollar tuition for

a masters program. This is not including textbooks, gas for transportation and most
importantly, my time which cannot be priced. DE is allowing me to continue my
education, provide me with knowledge that I can apply in my classroom and it has
given me the opportunity to switch fields if I ever choose to. DE is also helping
parents advance their careers. For instance, military spouses as well as stay-athome parents can continue to educate themselves regardless of time or
geographical constrains. In my previous masters, many of the members of my
cohort were mothers who wanted to be professionally trained but could not because
of other family obligations. In this case, DE is still serving those who do not have
access to education. As Holmberg (2005) states, DE helps adults with jobs, family
and other commitments help them engage in education for either pleasure but for
further training and professional development. Though the technology, terminology
and methods used in DE have changed from it ancestor, correspondence education,
and its goal to educate those with limited access to education due to various
reasons, still stands today in developing and developed countries.

References
Haughey, M. (2010). Teaching and learning in distance education before the digital
age. In M. F. Cleveland-Innes & D. R. Garrison, An introduction to distance
education: Understanding teaching and learning in a new era (pp. 46-66).
New York and London: Routledge.
Holmberg, B. (2005). The evolution, principles, and practice of distance
education (pp. 13-36). Oldenburg, Germany: BIS-Verlag der Carl von Ossietzky
Universitt Oldenburg. Available
from http://www.box.com/shared/y97qyc7m0t
Oteng-Ababio, M. (2011). Door of hope or despair: Students perception of distance
education at university of Ghana. Turkish Online Journal of Distance
Education, 12(3), 241-258.
Thompson, K. M., Jaeger, P. T., Taylor, G. N., Subramaniam, M., & Bertot, J. C. (2014).
Digital literacy and digital inclusion: Information policy and the public library.
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