This book assesses the impact and effect of the experience of basic education at a distance all over the world and in a variety of forms. This is the first major overview of this topic for twenty years.

Part I: Introduction 1.Basic Education at a Distance: An Introduction Chris Yates and Thomas Tilson 2.The Elusiveness of Integration: Policy Discources on Open and Distance Learning in the 1990s Elaine Unterhalter, Catherine Odora Hoppers and Wim Hoppers Part 2: Themes 3.Audiences for Basic Education at a Distance Lynette Anderson and Barbara Spronk 4.Basic Education Curriculum: Contexts and Contests Richard Siaciwena and Jennifer O'Rourke 5.Organisational and Delivery Structures Tony Dodds and Palitha Edirisingha 6.Evaluation and Quality Judith Calder and Santosh Panda 7.The Use of Technologies in Basic Education Keith Harry and Abdul Khan 8.Finance, Costs and Economics Francois Orivel Part 3: Applications 9.Literacy and Adult Education Through Distance and Open Learning Usha Reddi and Anita Dighe 10.Basic Education for Refugees and Nomads Jason Pennells and Chimah Ezeomah 11.The Power of Open and Distance Learning in Basic Education for Heath and the Environment Pat Pridmore and Stephanie Nduba 12.Open Schooling at Basic Level Janet Jenkins and Arief S. Sadiman Part 4: Conclusion 13.Outcomes: What Have We Learned? Chris Yates

'In covering such a broad topic the book is admirably thorough and logical in its approach...each of the thirteen chapters is a sober reminder that the challenge of finding effective and sustainable ways of applying basic "technology" to basic "education" is as pressing now as it ever has been.' - Neil Selwyn, British Journal of Educational Technology