The Brazilian Association for Distance Learning – ABED a scientific, non-profit organization, was created in June 31st 1995 by a group of educators interested in distance learning and new technologies for learning.

Its main goals are:

● To stimulate the practice and the development of distance learning educational programs of all formats;

● To encourage the practices of high quality services for students teachers, institutions and companies using distance education;

● To support the country’s “knowledge industry” thereby reducing inequalities caused by isolation or distance from the larger urban centers;

● To promote the development of different “media” in the execution of distance learning programs;

● To foster a spirit of openness, creativity, innovation, credibility and experimentation in the practice of distance education.

In its main scope ABED includes institutions, companies, universities and people interested in discussing and furthering their knowledge on distance education.

With this purpose, ABED organizes conferences, seminars, scientific meetings and courses focusing on the systematizing and promoting knowledge in DE.

ABED is a member of the Brazilian Society for the Progress of Science – SBPC and an affiliate to international institutions among which we have the International Council For Open and Distance Education – ICDE, for which ABED has organized, in 2000 and in São Paulo, an international meeting for managers of institutions using distance education. This meeting happened at the same time of the VII ABED International Conference and the Latin American Conference of the ICDE.

The ABED homepage on the Internet carries the “Brazilian Review of Open and Distance Learning”, in three languages, dedicated to DE scholars, and with texts and papers focusing on DE, an event calendar, clippings from important journal, DE related links, and addresses for distance education courses. It is constantly updated and always keeps in mind the associates and other people willing to get more involved with this field of knowledge (www.abed.org.br).

ABED is composed of the following categories of members: Individual members: people interested in the promotion of distance education as tool for the progress of democratic societies; Institutional Members: companies interested in the goals set by ABED; Honorary members: remarkable people or companies who, because of their work are distinguished by ABED e Sponsors: companies which significantly collaborate so as to enable ABED to do better work.

Therefore, the main goal of the Association to improve on the shared knowledge in distance education under a belief that this model of education is already a reality and an educational paradigm suitable to the great changes brought by this millennium.

ABED headquarters are located in São Paulo, but there are 16 branches in various states in the Union which guarantee the national representation of the Association, thus allowing for an ample coverage of all its activities.

ABED BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President  -  Fredric Michael Litto – Escola do Futuro da USP – SP

Vice President  - Manuel Marcos Maciel Formiga – CNPq / UnB - DF

Scientific Director  - Fredric Michael Litto – Escola do Futuro da USP – SP

Administrative Director -  Arlette Azevedo de Paula Guibert – Guibert Assessoria em Educação – SP

Foreign Relations Director - Waldomiro Pelágio Diniz Loyolla – FISP / Unimepe - SP

Ethics and Quality Director  - Lina Sandra Barreto – Eadtec - DF

National Relations Director  - Helena Lúcia Elias Riboli – Alfenas – MG

Relations to Productive Systems Director  - Roberto Palhares – Instituto Monitor – SP

Public Sector Relations Director  - João Roberto Moreira Alves – IPAE Instituto de Pesquisas Avançadas em Educação - RJ

Science Council – Waldomiro Pelágio Diniz de Carvalho Loyolla – PUCCAMP/SP; Alfredo Eurico Rodrigues da Matta – UCSAL/BA; Amir Mattar Valente – UFSC/SC; Benedito Barraviera – UNESP/SP; César Augusto Nunes – USP/SP; Cléia Maria Luz Rivero – UNIMEP/SP; Daniel Segulem – UNIFESP/SP; Dóris Santos de Faria – UnB/DF; Elian de Castro Machado – UFC/CE; Elizabeth Rondelli – UFRJ/RJ; Gilberto Mucilo de Medeiros – PUR/RS; Hedloisa Vieira da Rocha – UNICAMP/SP; José Manuel Moran Costa – PUC/SP; Márcio Luiz Andrade Neto – UNICAMP/SP; Maurício Prates de Campos Filho PUCCAMP/SP; Miriam Struchiner – UFRJ/RJ; Rogério da Costa Santos PUC/SP; Ymiracy Nascimento de Souza Polak – UFPR/PR.

Ethics and Quality Council– Wilson Correia de Azevedo Jr – Aquifolium/RJ; Eduardo Chaves – UNICAMP/SP; Itamar Alves Leal dos Santos – SP; Jean Marlos Pinheiro Borba – Pólo ABED/MA; João Vianey – Unisul Virtual/SC; Lenise Aparecida Martins Garcia – UnB/DF; Mirela Luiz Malvestiti – Sebrae Nacional/DF; Mônica Parente Ramos – UNIFESP/SP; Rita Graghetti – Laboratórios Fleury/SP; Vani Moreira Kenski – USP/SP; Washington Braga Filho – PUC/RJ.

Fiscal Council – Adilson Tabain Kole – SENAI/SP; Adylles Castello Branco – Al Farabi/SP; Ary Rocha UFRN/RN; Ricardo Feltre – SP; Roberto Palhares – Instituto Monitor/SP

ABED Branches – Acre, Bahia, Brasília, Campinas (SP), Ceará, Espírito Santo, Governador Valadares (MG) Maranhão, Minas Gerais, Pará, Paraná, Ribeirão Preto (SP); Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, São Paulo, Sergipe.