How do learners utilize the course package and learning support services in distance learning: a...

Distance Learning (DL) is more than 150 years old and has been a practical option for many students and institutions, but the advances in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has accelerated the interest in DL to an unprecedented degree. A growing use of DL methods is being implemented throughout post-secondary education. Many higher education institutions are adopting distance and online learning as the next logical step in educational delivery systems (Selingo, 1998). However, as O'Malley and McCraw (1999) documented, the effectiveness of distance and online learning a