Media for learning in a multicultural setting: from island to island in the Pacific

In the vast tracts of 4 1/2 million square miles of tropical, blue Pacific Ocean there are approximately 2000 tiny islands with nearly 400,000 inhabitants who are educationally underserved and who stand to reap enormous benefits from the implementation of a successful distance education program. The value of such an endeavor is readily evident; the difficulties in such a remote, tropical locale are unique and quite daunting. This paper discusses approaches that the University of Guam has taken in an effort to address the educational needs of these Pacific Islanders using various technologies, and talks about its efforts to promote distance education in the Pacific region.