Interactive Multimedia Technology for Distance Education in Bangladesh Open University (BOU)- Progress of Works

Bangladesh, being one of the least developed countries in this region with a population of 120 million mostly rural population, is progressing with great ambition and highest allocation in budget for education sector ever towards its dream of a 100% educated population by the year 2006. Established by the Bangladesh government in 1992 and with a student enrolment of 200,000 accessing their educational facilities through 12 regional resource centres, 80 local centres and 400 tutorial centres the university is playing a key role in general education. Necessary infrastructure has been set up and more planned approach is needed to reach the general population located at remote regions to enhance this collaborative learning system different from the conventional learning system. Radio, television and computer technologies including use of Internet and interactive multimedia methods are all components of the effort promoting virtual learning methodologies. A fiber optic based Wide Area Network (WAN), a Linux based e-mail server, two Novell based servers and a Windows NT based gateway are already working within the main campus of the University. This paper provides an overview of this project to deliver education with 12 regional resource centres, 80 local centres and 400 tutorial centres.

*keywords: Interactive multimedia, distance learning, Bangladesh Open University.