Conclusion

1. USM is the leading higher learning institution in Malaysia offering courses through distance learning mode and has heavily integrated information technology in the delivery system.  It is capable and ready to become a major hub in on-line education and supported distance education in this region.

2. Eventhough we can create and develop the technology, which can be integrated into the distance education system, based on our experiences, the following factors should be considered:

*  accessibility                          *  cost effectiveness

*  human acceptance                *  pedagogical suitability

3. Since the Ministry of Education has allowed other local higher institutions to have their own distance education programs since 1995, there is a tendency to duplicate many of the programs offered. This approach can lead to inefficient use of resources, both materials and human resources. Perhaps it is high time to review this approach and look forward to a formation of an agency under the Ministry of Education to optimize the whole operation from basic education to postgraduate and continuing education.

4. All these ideas are based on years of experience, and are well in line with the vision of our Prime Minister in creating the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) for the development of IT in the next century.

5. Quality means different things to different people. Therefore to ensure the quality of the graduates produced by the local institutions via distance education are of the same standard, it is suggested that a major role should be played by the National Accreditation Board (LAN).