Ключевое слово: «distance education»

The first known trace of distance education dates back to the beginning of the nineteenth century, when a Swedish newspaper endorsed the first correspondence course. Since then, the rapid development of technology has facilitated radical changes in the means of distance education: from letter writing to emailing, video conferencing, and organizing webinars online. Distance education offers a great number of opportunities for the people who are not able to receive full-time (on-campus) education. Nevertheless, distance education, when compared with traditional forms of education, is believed to provide students with poorer knowledge and skills. This article aims to define distance education, to uncover its fundamental features, and to describe its advantages and disadvantages.

The article discusses the current problems of teaching students with disabilities in the framework of digitalization of education and using distance learning methods, and also provides possible solutions to existing problems at various stages of studying.

This article presents a comprehensive analysis of distance education, examining its definitions, inherent challenges, and comparative effectiveness against traditional learning. The study is supported by empirical data collected through an online survey of students and educators from various educational institutions in Donetsk. The findings reveal that students' experience with distance learning is characterized by appreciated benefits, including time saving and comfort, and reported drawbacks, such as academic overload and insufficient teacher interaction. Educators confirm these challenges, highlighting the increased workload, difficulties in knowledge monitoring, and psychological discomfort such as “digital fatigue”. The research concludes that distance learning, despite its accessibility, is largely perceived as less effective than traditional education. The research identifies the most promising path forward as a hybrid model that integrates the strengths of both formats, supported by enhanced methodological and technical resources.