Developing Online Instruction

Abstract

The Internet and the World Wide Web have burst onto the scene as a means of delivering instruction, and in doing so have prompted the creation of the concept of asynchronous teaching and learning. A primary benefit of asynchronous learning is that it allows flexibility in terms of time and space. Students decide when and where they will access the instruction. This is the first in a series of three articles on the development and teaching of online courses using the Internet and the World Wide Web. This article describes the process of developing instruction for delivery online via the Internet. A model developed by the authors for offering graduate-level courses in special education and instructional design is described. A unique feature of the model is the use of audiostreaming for the delivery of all lectures. Lectures are illustrated with graphics and supplemented with notes, readings, and other links to Web sites. Two courses have been developed and taught using the model described in the article.