Current technological advances have made possible teaching techniques which were previously impossible. Distance and distributed learning technologies have made it possible to instruct outside of the classroom setting. An advantage to this advance includes that ability to reach students who are unable to relocate to the university. However, there is another advantage which makes teaching the family communication course using these technologies more intriguing: the ability to discuss issues of a potentially sensitive nature, family relationships, in a fairly anonymous manner. This paper discusses teaching techniques, such as problem based learning, utilizing distance and distributed learning technologies including curricula on CD-ROM, e-mail and listservs, on-line databases and course materials, and on-line chat rooms. The paper analyzes the implications of a classroomless, non-face-to-face, mediated technology on interpersonal and family communication course anthropogogy. Contains 37 references and 2 tables. An appendix contains two figures--screen dumps from the presentation program developed for the paper. (Author)