In recent years, there has been a tremendous increase in the popularity of distance education among higher-education administrators. Students in growing numbers are also taking advantage of the flexibility and accessibility that distance education offers. This growth, however, has been a mixed blessing since it derives from using the Internet without fully taking advantage of personalized instruction and learning that the telecommunication and computer nexus offers. Thus, many institutions are disregarding the most valuable aspect of digital technologies in education. Up to now, other than in occasional experimental projects, the use of the Internet in education has been limited to delivering courses. Its unique ability to adapt courses to the needs of individual learners has been neglected. Why should colleges and universities use information technologies to offer a one-size-fits-all course to a large group of students? Especially when the same results can be obtained with less expensive means and without the cost of an instructional design team as well as a multimillion-dollar information technology infrastructure. The response to that question will determine the role distance education will play in future of higher education.