{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,2]],"date-time":"2025-08-02T17:54:27Z","timestamp":1754157267185,"version":"3.41.2"},"reference-count":13,"publisher":"Emerald","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2006,3,1]],"date-time":"2006-03-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1141171200000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/www.emerald.com\/insight\/site-policies"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2006,3,1]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Purpose<\/jats:title><jats:p>To highlight India's efforts in raising literacy levels through distance education (DE) by utilizing various technological choices, including information technology (IT), available in the country.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Design\/methodology\/approach<\/jats:title><jats:p>This article discusses the education scenario, emergence of correspondence courses\/open universities, government initiatives for IT enablement of education and DE, participating institutions and technology choices available in India. It examines the preparedness of participating institutions, status of networks facilitating virtual classrooms, technological solutions, educational channels, etc., for the spreading of DE in India.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Findings<\/jats:title><jats:p>The paper strongly suggests the need for digital libraries (DLs) and their integration, and the initiation of INTEND\u2010OPENET as an exclusive network for DE.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Practical implications<\/jats:title><jats:p>The needed policy guidelines to use IT for education are now in place in India. The backbone for developing DLs already exists. Declining prices of PCs and networking devices makes it economically feasible to use IT to deliver quality education to previously unreachable populations and to enhance the quality of education.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Originality\/value<\/jats:title><jats:p>This paper offers practical solutions for the spread of DE for policy makers and implementers, participating institutions and distance learners.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1108\/02640470610660396","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2006,7,4]],"date-time":"2006-07-04T01:49:11Z","timestamp":1151977751000},"page":"225-236","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":11,"title":["Distance education and the role of IT in India"],"prefix":"10.1108","volume":"24","author":[{"given":"Siriginidi","family":"Subba Rao","sequence":"first","affiliation":[]}],"member":"140","reference":[{"key":"key2022030720185707500_b1","unstructured":"AEM Pvt. 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(2001), \u201cTechnology trends and market drivers for broadband mobile via satellite: inmarsat bgan\u201d, available at: www.estec.esa.nl\/conferences\/01C14\/papers\/6.1.doc.","DOI":"10.1049\/ic:20000547"},{"key":"key2022030720185707500_b5","unstructured":"Government of India (2001), \u201cRecommendations of working group on information technology for masses\u201d, available at: http:\/\/itformasses.nic.in\/repg3.htm."},{"key":"key2022030720185707500_b6","unstructured":"HCL Comnet Ltd. (2004), \u201cSatellite communications\u201d, available at: www.hclcomnet.co.in\/satcom.asp."},{"key":"key2022030720185707500_b7","unstructured":"Hughes Escorts Communications Ltd. (2001), \u201cDiRECWAY global education\u201d, available at: www.dwge.com\/services\/global_services.htm."},{"key":"key2022030720185707500_b9","unstructured":"Manjunath, K.S. (2003), \u201cBharti broadband networks\u201d, paper presented at: ICBN'03 conference, available at: www.cse.ohio\u2010state.edu\/ \u223c\u2009jain\/icbn\/ftp\/manjunath.pdf."},{"key":"key2022030720185707500_b8","unstructured":"MoHRD (2003), \u201cElectronic media in the service of distance education\u201d, available at: http:\/\/pib.nic.in\/archieve\/lreleng\/lyr2003\/roct2003\/21102003\/r211020039.html."},{"key":"key2022030720185707500_b10","unstructured":"NSE.IT (2004), \u201cEnlitor\u201d, available at: www.nseit.biz\/Products\/Enlitor.htm."},{"key":"key2022030720185707500_b11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Rao, S.S. (2001), \u201cNetworking of libraries and information centres: challenges in India\u201d, Library Hi Tech, Vol. 19 No. 2, pp. 167\u201078.","DOI":"10.1108\/07378830110394312"},{"key":"key2022030720185707500_b12","unstructured":"Srivastava, M. 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