This report presents findings from the second national survey of distance education undertaken by the National Center for Education Statistics. The survey covers the 12-month 1997-98 academic year and includes data for higher education institutions as well as all 2-year and 4-year postsecondary institutions. Highlights of the report include the following: distance education is becoming an increasingly visible feature of postsecondary education, primarily at public institutions, with an estimated 54,470 different courses offered; 8 percent of all 2-year and 4-year institutions offer degree or certificate programs designed to be completed totally through distance education; most institutions offering distance education use several types of video and Internet-based technologies; about three-quarters of institutions offering distance education charge the same tuition for these courses as for comparable on-campus courses; and between fall 1995 and 1997-98 the percentage of higher education institutions offering distance education courses increased from 33 to 44 percent. The first chapter of the report is an overview; following chapters review institutions and enrollments, course offerings and enrollments, degree and certificate programs, distance education technologies, tuition and fees, changes in distance education since 1994-95, and present conclusions. Appended are survey methodology, tables of standard errors, and the survey questionnaire. (CH)