These people must be involved in planning and implementing distance education; therefore, as Verduin and Clark (1991) point out, "Unless their attitudes and perceptions change, it is unlikely that distance education will be accepted and utilized as a mainstream method of delivery in American adult and higher education" (p. 87).
As the oldest form of distance education, correspondence study (recently renamed independent study) has long dealt with the issue of perceived quality. Even though research has demonstrated that the learning outcomes from correspondence study are equal to or better than those of face-to-face instruction, image problems remain (Pittman, 1991). In most, if not all, instances, distance education efforts in universities require the approval of the academic department where the course or program originates. Thus, the perceptions of department administrators Concerning the effectiveness of distance education are critical to program development. "The research on distance higher and adult education, and the findings and conclusions based on it, may be useful to people engaged in the current dialogue concerning the effectiveness and quality of this innovative means'of delivery in education" (Verduin and Clark, 1991, p. 87).
Planners often face asymmetrical power relationships in developing educational programs (Cervero and Wilson, 1994). In the case of independent