Self-instructional materials are at the heart of instructional delivery in open and distance learning (ODL). The success of ODL depends on the availability of learning materials in quality and quantity. In order to appreciate the central role of learning materials in ODL, what usually happens in a face-to-face teaching situation is “the teacher is the basic source of learning”. Although, s/he may use other resources such as textbooks and audio-visual aids, the teacher remains the manager of the instructional processes, who performs a combination of functions, from defining what is to be learnt to assessing what has been learnt. In distance learning on the other hand, because teachers and students are separated in time and space, self-instructional materials are at the centre of learning. In order to ensure that distance learners, have comparable learning experiences as their counter parts in the conventional setting, ODL institutions make use of self-instructional materials. Another important issue to note is accessibility. People tend to have diverse needs, skills and abilities and some products and services are designed to take this into account. Others sadly fail, presenting barriers to their use, in particular for those individuals who experience physical, sensory and cognitive impairments, old age and certain illnesses. Accessibility could be achieved through a process of inclusive design. Inclusive design of instructional material is a philosophy applied to the design and development of materials in a people-centred way. The aim of this Guide is to provide adequate background information on instructional resources development in open and distance learning, accessibility and inclusiveness in designing and development of self-instructional materials.

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