American colleges are reaching out to students in a big way through Internet-based distance learning programs, a report released today says.

Connecticut-based Market Data Retrieval, a Dun & Bradstreet educational research company, says an expansion of distance- learning programs was one of the outstanding changes found in an annual survey that is the basis for its latest report, "The College Technology Review, 1999-2000." The report said the share of colleges offering distance learning programs reached 72 percent, up from 48 percent in 1998-1999. It said 34 percent of colleges now offer accredited degree programs online. In the previous year, that number was just 15 percent. In addition, the report said, institutions offer non-degree distance learning programs, such as certificate and continuing professional education programs. The report said the most common subject areas for distance learning are: business, offered by 18 percent of distance-learning-capable colleges; social sciences, 18 percent; and education, 9 percent. Trailing were computer science, allied health and general studies. Market Data Retrieval said colleges are putting a lot of money into their technology infrastructures and estimated that total spending for administrative and academic hardware and software will reach $2.7 billion for the 1999-2000 school year. It said that represents an increase of 9 percent over the previous year. Benefiting from some of that spending are students, who can now find Internet access in 96 percent of college libraries, up from 86 percent in 1998-1999. Forty-nine percent of colleges reported that Internet access is available in classrooms, while 38 percent said dormitories are now wired. Access from student dorms was up 25 percent over the findings of the previous year_s survey.