From local community colleges to Ivy League schools, a new force in distance learning is sweeping the nation.

"Today you can find more courses under more topics on the Internet than on any one campus anywhere," says NewPromise Inc., a group of educators and students devoted to making college courses on the Internet totally user-friendly.

"...So stay at home in your pajamas, or take a break at work, save big on the cost of on-campus education, and join the revolution in education!"

In recent years, the interest in Internet-based online learning has been growing markedly. "And," according to representatives of NewPromise Inc., "the new methods of teaching college courses by the Internet are improving semester by semester."

As a result, it is now possible for you to obtain college credit, personal enrichment, or professional development without having to leave work or home.

In 1995, according to a study by the National Center for Education Statistics, 36% of all higher education institutions across the country offered distance education through two-way online interactions and other technologically enhanced media.

The rise in relative numbers, meanwhile, continues to grow. In turn, you now have access to hundreds of schools offering thousands of links to directories of "virtual" courses you can take online at your convenience.

The demand for "virtual" courses has been fueled in part by a desire to meet the rapidly changing needs of various consumers. To respond to this demand, a growing number of educators and members of the business community now support the concept of providing a challenging learning environment entirely through Internet-integrated media - often touting it as a pretext to the classroom of the future.

"Valuable technologies also are important for providing opportunities in higher education at a time when college is becoming even more crucial ... making courses available at convenient locations; reducing time constraints for course-taking; making educational opportunities more affordable; and increasing the institutions' access to new audiences," says U.S. Education Secretary Richard W. Riley in a 1998 White House press release.

With Internet-based online learning, consumers are acquiring the latest high-tech skills and personal enrichment, as well as undergraduate and advanced degrees, in user-friendly, interactive learning environments.

The primary objective for offering online courses is to furnish both novice and experienced Web surfers with a flexible way of acquiring quality education opportunities.

At the same time, such services are striving to revamp the way traditional education is delivered by addressing the special needs and circumstances of distance learners, including, among others, working parents and people with disabilities.

As an online distance learner, you participate in class by using the Internet and other electronic means to read assignments, post questions, and exchange ideas with instructors and fellow classmates from all over the world.

You are required to do homework assignments, quizzes, and are e-mailed to your instructor for evaluation. Along the way, you can keep in direct contact with your instructor 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

What's more, most Internet-based, online distance learning services allow you to browse registration and contact information, student handbooks, class schedules, course summaries, and enrollment requirements. There even are links where you can pay tuition fees and fax information using the form provided when you enroll.

As the audience for online distance learning continues to expand, a vast array of institutions of higher education and professionals in the private sector are continuing to assemble particularly impressive collections of online courses administered entirely over the Internet.

For example, the CyberEd Program sponsored by the Division of Continuing Education at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth -- presumably the first university to offer distance learning courses via the World Wide Web -- now offers more than ten credit and non-credit online courses, ranging from Introduction to Astronomy to Marketing on the Internet.

"As CyberEd and similar programs across the country expand, so too does the opportunity to obtain education when and where you most need it," note UMass officials. "As educators we are proud to have helped pioneer this endeavor and hope the trend toward never ending learning continues well into the next millennium."

To participate in Internet-based online courses, you will need a computer with direct access to the Internet, and a minimum of the following: a 486 or MAC 040 with a 14.4K bps modem.

However, a Pentium or PowerMac with a 28.8K bps modem or faster modem, and 16 MB or more of RAM will significantly improve your online connections. Refer to individual sites for specific requirements and guidelines.

Some Web sites of interest:

ZDU Net offers more than 150 online courses in today's hottest computing topics. You can choose from a wide selection of cutting-edge computing courses that are delivered by way of instructor-led classes or self-study tutorials.

New classes start every week. In addition, the site allows you to search the course catalog by department or keyword. It also offers access to the campus store, where you can browse or purchase required and recommended books, applications and utility software, or newsletter and magazine subscriptions.

Carolyn Kotlas, of the Center for Instructional Technology at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, has assembled an extensive collection of links to the growing number of colleges, universities, and other educational institutions offering classes or course materials over the Internet.

Also included are consortia and other organizations devoted to delivering distance education with networked technologies.

TeleCampus, a distributed distance learning center, contains an online course database that lists thousands of online courses from around the world. Here you can browse courses from a variety of educational institutions and private organizations.

CALCampus

CALCampus, a private, international totally Internet-based learning center, offers courses in business, computer programming, computer applications and technology, English, mathematics, science, social science, foreign language, general studies, and test-preparation.

In addition, CALCampus offers courses and certificate programs for job skills enhancement, continuing adult education, as well as personal and professional development. You may register for and begin courses at any time.