UNREVEALED POTENTIAL IN DELIVERING DISTANCE COURSES: THE INSTRUCTIONAL VALUE OF AUDIO

This article addresses the issues and concerns regarding delivering methods in online instruction. Although a rich multimedia is available nowadays, recent research shows that online teachers primarily use text-based media (e-mail, written documents, and threaded discussions) with a little or no use of instructional multimedia. The authors stress the importance of combining different types of delivery media for creating a learning environment that provides multimodal input to online students. The instructional value of audio and its implications on quality of online instruction is specifically emphasized. Audio tools and instructional materials enrich the learning experience of distance students otherwise limited by text-based instructional media. Integration of instructional audio affects the nature of online learning by adding new dimensions such as human voice and sound. This article provides teacher and student perspectives regarding the implementation of audio. The implications of audio use on management policy in distance education are also presented.