This book makes a contribution to the field of distance education by presenting key perspectives on the state of the field and examining and discussing specific current trends and issues faced by the distance learning community. To this end, the book brings together Quarterly Review of Distance Education’s most respected authors and other internationally known experts in the field of distance education to provide insight into a wide array of themes revolving around current work on communities of learning in distance education. A volume in the series: Perspectives in Instructional Technology and Distance Education. Series Editor(s): Charles Schlosser, Nova Southeastern University and Michael Simonson, Nova Southeastern University.