The new mode of distance education delivery through the use of audio-, computer-, video-, and web-based conferencing continues to create student flexibility regarding the time, place and pace of study, and to provide highly interactive learner-centred environment. However, the Technologically Developed Countries (TDCs) have benefitted more than the Developing countries (DCs) and will continue to do so because of the ready availability of the necessary infrastructures and the ability to design and develop information technologies. In the DCs, there are inadequate information transmission requirements of telephone lines for connectivity and bandwidth for quality presentation, unreliable power supply, inadequate technical expertise to manage the technologies for the delivery of distance education and handle the maintenance. There is also the problem of cross-cultural diversity regarding learning. The paper discusses these problems and concludes that the new technologies are unlikely to serve the needs of DCs. It then suggests developing appropriate ITs through local Research and Development (R&D) for successful delivery of distance education in DCs. |