Alternative Delivery Systems in Higher Education and the Search for Quality Through Distance Education

The potential of distance education is widely acknowledged. The same cannot be said about its quality. It is because of misgivings on the quality of distance education that this article attempts to gnswer critics of higher distance education by exploring its potential in delivering quality programmes. In this attempt, the article compiles a compendium of major factors which influence the quality of distance education programmes and demonstrates how these can contribute: to the quality and effeffineness of higher distance education. The evidence presented in this aftfffeshpws that distance education is as good as, and in several respects, bettgffhan pojiventional instructional delivery systems, It is the author's argument ffiat higher distance education is not only now in competition with co/jp^ffpnai higher education, but enjoys a competitive edge over the lattef. ffte ffrt/pfe, therefore, recommends that higher distance education should dep,elgp a culture of quality education which reflects its unique delivery system.' jFurfhepnore, distance education should strengthen those of its features fvhich enhance its competitiveness in the delivery of higher education.