It has never been easier to get a free education online. There are several universities that publish free courses for self-learners. There are also a number of sites that provide free lessons, slides, and other education materials to anyone who is willing to learn. This article provides a list of 15 places to get a free and quality education online.

MIT OCW - Nearly all of the courses offered at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) can be found on this website. Course materials can be accessed for free and include lectures, slides, videos, audio, reading lists, and other educational material.

Webcast.Berkeley - Each semester, the University of California-Berkeley publishes audio and video recordings of their most popular courses. These recordings are free to everyone and cover a wide range of topics.

OpenLearn - The Open Learn Learning Space from UK's Open University provides hundreds of self-paced courses that can be taken online. Each course is categorized according to level (introductory, intermediate, advanced) and rated by previous users.

Free-Ed.Net - This site brings together the best of free education on the web and puts it on one easily accessible space. Site visitors will find more than 300 free courses and many other useful educational materials.

LearnHub - LearnHub is a social learning network for people who want to learn or share their knowledge online. The site offers a number of different communities with free lessons on everything from math and languages to test prep and careers.

Connexions - This Rice University site is a good place to view educational modules--courses, lessons, books, etc.--that were created by other people. Nearly 20,000 modules are available on the Connexions site.

Small Business Training Network - Offered free by the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Small Business Training Network provides a number of self-paced online courses and publications for entrepreneurs and small business owners.

University of the People - The University of the People (UOP) is the world's first tuition-free online university. Four programs are available in two fields: computer science and business administration. Applicants must have a high school diploma or the equivalent to be considered for admission.

Eduslide - Eduslide is a site that allows users to create their own elearning modules. You can browse through and learn from thousands of pre-made lessons.

Flashcard Exchange - The largest flashcard library in the world, Flashcard Exchange is an excellent place to find study cards on almost anything. The site can also be used to create your own flashcards on any topic you choose.

Livemocha - This social language learning site makes it easy for people to learn a new language online. Site features include free lessons, mp3 downloads, and tips from native speakers. Users can also connect with language partners around the world.

Radio Lingua Network - For people who like podcasts and want to learn a new language, the Radio Lingua Network is the perfect solution. This online organization provides short language lessons via podcast. A few of the languages that can be learned include English, Spanish, French, German, and Italian.

NumberNut - Rader's NumberNut works like an interactive math textbook. You can learn about almost anything math-related on this site--from basic math to advanced math concepts.

History.com - This A&E Television Network site is a great place to learn about history online. The site offers informative articles, videos, full television episodes, and much more.

Artcyclopedia - This art encyclopedia serves as a search engine of sorts. You can use it to find information on artists and to view artwork around the web.

Guest post from education writer Karen Schweitzer. Karen is the About.com Guide to Business School. She also writes about online school for OnlineSchool.net.