This is a volume in ""Perspectives in Instructional Technology and Distance Education Series"". Editors: Charles Schlosser and Michael Simonson of Nova Southeastern University. ""The Perfect Online Course: Best Practices for Designing and Teaching"" was edited under the assumption that a perfect online course can be delivered following different instructional methods and models for design and for instruction, and by implementing different teaching or instructional strategies. Such methods, models, and strategies are framed within quality educational guidelines and must be aimed towards attaining the online course's learning goals. The book seeks to make a contribution to the existing body of literature related to best practices and guidelines for designing and teaching distance courses, specifically online education. The process of selecting works suitable for this compilation included an extensive review of the journals ""Quarterly Review of Distance Education"" and ""Distance Learning"". The book begins by covering literature related to general approaches and guidelines, continues with proposed methods and models for designing and instruction, and ends with instructional strategies to achieve engagement through interaction. The book is divided into four independent, yet interrelated, parts and a concluding section: Part I: Introduction; Part II: Best Guidelines and Standards; Part III: Best Instructional Methods and Models; Part IV: Best Engagement Strategies; and the concluding section, And Finally..., with words from Simonson who delineates the structure of a perfect online course.