This document is designed to assist practitioners in the United Kingdom and elsewhere who are involved in recruiting and teaching students in open and distance learning (ODL) or e-learning environments. The following are among the specific topics discussed: (1) models and definitions; (2) background to student support; (3) nonacademic student support and advising; (4) academic support (tuition activities, styles, and practice); (5) delivering student support at a distance (student support in writing, over the phone, and through audiovisual media); (6) face-to-face academic, nonacademic, one-to-one, and group student support; (7) delivering student support by computer (e-learning, Internet support, computers in student support); (8) computer conferencing in academic and nonacademic support; (9) media for student support (students' and institutions' media choices); (10) student support outside the institution (interest in and sources of outside support); (11) learning skills development and student support; (12) support for different students; (13) student support for access, acquisition, retention, and retrieval; (14) theories of student support; (15) structures and quality in student support (structures for ODL organizations, appraising quality, setting quality standards, quality assurance); (16) staff development and appraisal for support; and (17) the future of student support in ODL. Numerous case studies, examples, and materials for use in ODL are included throughout the book. Thirty-three tables/figures are included. The bibliography lists 72 references. (MN)