ABSTRACT
In developing educational materials for open and distance learning, much effort is usually expended on the form and structure of the teaching. Written materials, still the most widely used means of teaching distance learners, are prepared and scrutinised with the aim of maximising accessibility and clarity, while minimising errors, omissions and unintended ambiguity. Attention is paid not only to what is being taught, but also to how it is being taught. However, when materials are designed to be studied at home by means of the media, it is not sufficient to concentrate just on the form and content of the teaching: it is also necessary to take account of the context within which learning will take place and the ways in which equipment and media materials will be used.
