Alternative Perspectives in education and training contitute a major item in the agenda set out for the distance education system. This paper is an exploration in this area. Using the courses of IGNOU, India as take off point, the author ruminates on the relative weights to be given to course structure, design, content and language in terms of gender neutral, women-friendly approaches in education. The author argues for empowerment(and not concessions) of women though the effective use of the distance education system.