This document provides an overview of distance education. It begins by outlining the objectives of familiarizing learners with distance education concepts, citing advantages and disadvantages, describing interactions and technology, and affirming it as a viable higher education strategy. It then discusses the concept and context of distance education, how it has evolved historically using different technologies. It also defines distance education, describes its characteristics like flexibility and learner-centered approach. The document outlines advantages like accessibility and convenience, different interactions and key players. It concludes by discussing different distance education technologies.