Telecourses are entire courses of for-credit or notfor-credit study that may be distributed through telecommunications or by videotape; include the range of standards-based course requirements, assignments, quizzes, and tests associated with traditional face-toface courses; integrate ongoing teacher–student communication; and are supported by print-based and electronic materials.

Historically, the roots of telecourses reside in correspondence courses. The technologies of broadcasting and the VCR, however, gave rise to telecourses, which later were delivered via satellite. Most telecourse instruction made the transition to the Internet, which provided e-mail interaction between student and instructor and the distribution of ancillary materials. Some telecourses use the Internet for the distribution of substantial, on-demand, video portions of the telecourse.

The Open University in the United Kingdom was among the first institutions to produce and ...