ABSTRACT
Attempts to describe and explain the nature of distance education are yet to arrive at a series of organizing ideas, theories or values which receive universal support of both practitioners of the specialist area and those engaged in more general educational endeavour. It has been argued that description and prescription in the field will result from developing a theory of distance education. To this end, various authorities have analysed the concept of distance education in an attempt to identify the types of knowledge which ought to seek legitimation through connection to a theory of distance education. This knowledge, it is argued, will identify the essential nature of distance education.
