Distance education is broadly defined as an instructional system that aims to deliver education to students who are not able to go to a traditional school setting because of whatever reasons. Many schools offer some form of distance education, such as online courses or independent study.

Distance education in Mexico is more focused on elementary and high school education, especially in the rural areas where the schools are scarce.

According to Manuel Moreno Castaneda of the University of Guadalajara in Mexico distance education is “the intention to overcome the distances that deny many people access to educational services.” Castaneda also states that distance education aims to “overcome the tremendous social, cultural, and economic distances reflected in unequal access to educational services.”