Since the late 1980s, satellites have been used to provide distance education to large numbers of students and adults. Teachers can extend their reach to remote parts of the world, providing students with access to advanced courses that are unavailable locally. Until recently, most of these courses have been delivered in the traditional educational style with students watching the teacher on video. However, emerging technologies are reshaping distance education. The ability of these technologies to handle video, data, and voice gives designers the opportunity to take maximum advantage of a rich distributed-learning environment. Individuals can be offered a chance to engage in learning at their convenience and in a variety of modes, and they can have access to experts as well as current resources.