While "distance education" most often refers to web-based courses, especially those that are fully online/fully asynchronous, the term still can encompass a wide range of types of courses. Other web-based modalities include hybrid/blended courses or web-enhanced courses. In addition, DE coruses might include interactive television or video-based telecourses.

Because various forms of instructional- and educational-technology courses exist, definitions of what specifically is meant by distance education and its various methods
of delivery at each institution should be determined jointly by faculty and administration and clearly identified in writing.

We recommend that these definitions remain as inclusive as possible, to broaden the scope of a given DE program and to extend protections to as many current and future methods of delivery as possible.