About half of the higher education institutions that offered distance education courses in fall 1995 directed distance education courses to students’ homes (Table 4). Other sites to which institutions frequently directed courses were other branches of their institution (39 percent) and other college campuses (35 percent). About a quarter of the institutions directed distance education courses to elementary/secondary schools, and 18 percent directed courses to work sites. Courses were directed to libraries, community-based organizations (e.g., YMCA), and correctional institutions by 10 percent or less of the institutions.

The types of remote sites to which courses were directed showed some variation by institutional type. For example, public 4-year institutions directed courses to other college campuses more frequently than did public 2-year or private 4-year institutions, while public 2-year institutions directed courses to students’ homes more frequently than did public 4-year institutions (Table 4).

Institutions were asked how many of their distance education courses were directed to each type of remote site. If a course was directed to more than one type of site, the institution was instructed to count the course for each type of site to which it was directed. Thus, the numbers of courses directed to specific sites are duplicated counts. Institutions directed an estimated 10,380 distance education courses to students’ homes and 9,580 courses to other branches of their institution (Table 5). A sizable number of courses were also directed to other college campuses and work sites.

Primary Student Audience for Distance Education Courses

More higher education institutions offered distance education courses designed primarily for undergraduate and graduate students than for any other type of student (Table 6). Eighty-one percent of institutions that offered distance education courses in fall 1995 reported offering distance education courses designed primarily for undergraduate students, and 34 percent reported offering courses designed primarily for graduate students. Fewer institutions offered courses designed primarily for the other types of students listed. Thirteen percent of institutions offered distance education courses designed primarily for professional continuing education students, and 6 percent or fewer offered courses designed primarily for each of the following types of students: elementary/secondary, adult basic education, other continuing education students, and other types of students.

Public 2-year institutions were more likely than public 4-year institutions, which in turn were more likely than private 4-year institutions, to offer distance education courses designed primarily for undergraduate students (Table 6). Public 4-year institutions also were more likely than other types of institutions to offer distance education courses designed primarily for professional continuing education students.

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