ABSTRACT
In the last three chapters, we discussed how hardware and software systems could affect minimizing or optimizing transactional distance for each student. This chapter focuses on how factors related to telecommunications systems, such as adequate bandwidth affect maintaining instructor-learner, learner-learner, and learner-instructional materials interaction, thus setting the conditions for increasing or decreasing structure and autonomy. The case study in this chapter highlights the evolving role of telecommunications systems in universities; illustrates how networks have been established and grown; and describes the opportunities and challenges that educators face in making efficient use of them now and in the future as they inevitably change.
