ABSTRACT
Today’s education landscape has gone beyond the traditional brick-andmortar institution to the world of online and distance education. As of the fall of 2007, 3.94 million students took at least one online course according to an online survey of chief academic offi cers of higher education institutions by the Sloan Consortium (Allen & Seaman, 2008, p. 5). The survey results also showed enrollment in at least one online course among students has experienced a compound annual growth rate of 19.7% since 2002 (Allen & Seaman, 2008, p. 5). This increase is the largest the organization has ever recorded since they began their reports in 2002. This growth is documented by other organizations as well. The National Center for Education Statistics of postsecondary institutions, from 2006-2007, stated 66% offered some form of distance education (National Center of Education Statistics, 2008). It can be said that there is a strong dedication now for online and distance education. Among higher education institutions, 58% said they see online education as a critical long-term strategy for their organization (Allen & Seaman, 2008, p. 11).
