In March, 2000 the National Education Association outlined twenty-four benchmarks or measures of quality for distance learning cources and programs as part of its Quality on the Line report. The authors of the report developed six tenets of distance learning course development that set minimum standards for facilitating online instruction. The ability to meet these tenets resulted in an instructor that is fluent in the delivery of distance instruction.

     The six tenets are:

Educators fluent in the delivery of distance instruction possess the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that encompass all aspects of teaching online including administrative, design, faciitation, evaluation, and technology - from pre-course planning to post-course wrap-up.

Educators fluent in the delivery of distance instruction facilitate effective online communication that establishes a sense of community among all course participants, fosters information sharing and open dialogue, and supports active student participation.

Educators fluent in the delivery of distance instruction utilize a variety of teaching strategies to actively engage and motivate a diverse student population to participate in the learning process, resulting in deeper understanding.

Educators fluent in the delivery of distance instruction accommodate differing learning styles and intelligence types by incorporating multimedia to help students connect to and find meaning in the course content and relate their learning to the world beyond the classroom.

Educators fluent in the delivery of distance instruction understand the need to assess student performance using a variety of assessment strategies to ascertain that the essential skills and knowledge being taught is actually being learned.

Educators fluent in the delivery of distance instruction employ sound instructional design focused on delivering a quality learning experience that includes consideration of design principles such as content organization, loyout, and use of color and graphical elements.