Some books are good as textbooks; others are practical and good for professional development. I don't have any special favorites since in their own way, they are all useful for one reason or another. So, here are a selection of different kinds of books about the closely related topics of distance and online learning (in alphabetical order by authors):
Greg Kearsley

1. Berge, Z. & Collins, M. (1998). Wired Together:The Online Classroom in K-12 (Vols I-IV). Cresskill, NJ: Hampton Press.
   This is collection of articles about different online learning applications in schools and provides a good overview of what teachers and students are doing in K-12 settings. There was also an earlier 3-volume series by the same authors and publisher ("Computer Mediated Communication and the Online Classroomî) that covers higher education applications. Together, these books represent a rich source of documentation about how online learning is changing educational practice. For more about the authors, see their web site at http://www.emoderators.com

2. Collis, B. (1996). Tele-Learning in a Digital World. London: International Thomson Computer Press.
   A comprehensive analysis of online and distance learning by one of the leading figures in the field. Particularly good coverage of the European perspective and discussions of the conceptual issues involved in distance and online learning. This book is an excellent introduction to the subject and good book for teachers or instructors. To learn more about the author's work, see http://www.to.utwente.nl/user/ism/collis/home.htm

3. Cyrs, T. (1997). Teaching and Learning at a Distance : What It Takes to Effectively Design, Deliver, and Evaluate Programs. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
   This is very readable introduction to distance learning which focuses on the use of television - although the principles and ideas discussed really apply to any form of distance education. For more about the author, see http://www.zianet.com/edacyrs

4. Harasim, L., Hiltz, S.R., Teles, L. & Turoff, M. (1995). Learning Networks: A Field Guide to Teaching and Learning Online. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
   An excellent summary of past research and current practice in online learning written by a group of pioneers in the field. Hiltz and Turoff have written a number of important books about their work with CMC at NJIT. Linda Harasim also wrote a earlier book on the global implications of online education published by MIT Press. Her web site is at http://fas.sfu.ca/telelearn/homepages/harasim/harasim.htm

5. Kearsley, G. (2000). Online Education: Learning and Teaching in Cyberspace. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
   A brief introduction to online learning intended for use in courses and workshops about the topic. Features lots of examples of web sites. There is a companion web site for the book at http://home.sprynet.com/~gkearsley/cyber.htm

6. Khan, B. H. (Ed.). (1997). Web-based instruction. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Educational Technology Publications.
   A good compilation of articles about web-based projects and programs in higher education that shows the diversity of online learning and teaching. The author has also written a companion volume (Web-Based Training) from the same publisher that provides a collection of articles about web-based training applications. You can find out more about these books and the author at http://www.gwu.edu/~etlalex/khan/khan.html

7. Moore, M. & Kearsley, G. (1996). Distance Education: A Systems Perspective. Wadsworth, Belmont, CA.
   A scholarly textbook about distance education that presents the history and theory of the field. A bit dated now (e.g., doesnít cover web-based learning), but still covers the basic principles and issues of distance education.

8. Palloff, R. & Pratt, K. (1999). Building Learning Communities in Cyberspace: Effective Strategies for the Online Classroom. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
   This book deals with a very important aspect of online learning, the development of virtual communities and the social/psychological issues associated with this phenomena. I would recommend that everyone who is going to teach online read this book and think about how they can create effective learning communities.

9. Porter, L.R. (1997). Creating the Virtual Classroom: Distance Learning with the Internet. NY: Wiley.
   A good introductory book for teachers that explains what distance learning is all about and how to put it into practice. Covers the process of writing grants to obtain funding for distance education efforts.

10. Schreiber, D. & Berge, Z. (1998). Distance Training: How Innovative Organizations Are Using Technology to Maximize Learning and Meet Business Objectives. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass,
    A useful discussion of the issues associated with distance training and a set of case studies of distance training applications from different organizations. Covers a broad spectrum of different technologies.

1. Bonk, C. & King, K. (Ed.). (1998). Electronic collaborators: Learner-centered technologies for literacy, apprenticeship, and discourse. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
2. Bruffee, K. (1993). Collaborative learning. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press.
3. Crook, C. (1994). Computers and the collaborative experience of learning. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.
4. Dillenbourg, P. (Ed.). (1999). Collaborative learning: Cognitive and computational approaches. NY: Pergamon.
5. Galegher, J., Kraut, R., & Egido, C. (Eds.). (1990). Intellectual teamwork: Social and technological foundations of cooperative work. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
6. Lave, J., & Wenger, E. (1991). Situated learning: Legitimate peripheral participation. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
7. Newman, D., Griffin, P., & Cole, M. (1989). The construction zone: Working for cognitive change in school. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
8. O'Malley, C. (Ed.). (1995). Computer supported collaborative learning. Berlin: Springer-Verlag.
9. Koschmann, T. (Ed.). (1996). CSCL: Theory and practice of an emerging paradigm. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
10. Resnick, L., Levine, J., & Teasley, S. (Eds.). (1991). Perspectives on socially-shared cognition. Washington, D.C.: APA.