Intended as a review of the origins and present status of television courses as a form of higher education for adults, this sourcebook addresses the following questions: What is a telecourse? What are the legal and philosophical bases that support the telecourse concept? Where do telecourses fit in the college or university structure? Who produces and offers telecourses in the college setting? And how well do students learn from these courses? First, a global perspective is provided on the growth of education via broadcasting, the renewed acceptance of educational television, and the potential of telecommunications for meeting third world educational needs. Following an argument for the integration of telecourses into the fabric of higher education, a summary is provided of the sourcebook's perspectives and conclusions. Subsequent chapters cover: (1) the telecourse model; (2) the position of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges regarding academic credit for telecourses; (3) the theoretical bases of telecourses; (4) the range of students best served by telecourses; (5) the California Postsecondary Education Commission's 1981 report on telecourses; (6) instructional design; (7) the faculty's role in designing, developing, and offering telecourses; (8) research evaluating learning outcomes; (9) the academic soundness of telecourses; (10) the role of the telecourse instructor; and (11) the scope and influence of telecourses. A glossary is appended. (LL)