People learn differently and so the instructors of distance education courses should develop assignments and interaction methods accordingly. For example:

• Kinesthetic learners appreciate the opportunity to physically manipulate objects to derive meaning. This can be done in a distance environment with rollovers (rollover example 1, rollover example 2), click-ons, and drag and drops. 
• (Several examples presented here were developed by the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines. IRRI has granted Roadmap to Effective Distance Education Instructional Design permission to include these examples.)
• Auditory learners would rather hear someone read a lesson than read the lesson themselves. (This is quite easy on the Internet, given the relatively small bandwidth necessary to delivery good-quality audio.) Auditory learners learn best when interacting with others in a listening/speaking activity. In an online environment, streaming audio and computer conferencing can help auditory learners succeed.
• Visual learners prefer text, graphs, charts, diagrams and photos to assist their understanding. (Bandwidth is a consideration for delivering high-quality visual elements.) The online environment is especially conducive to students who learn this way.

Regardless of the specific way students learn, several studies have provided some indication of the factors affecting students' distance education experiences:

• Educational background: The more formal education the distance learner has had, the more likely the student is to complete the course.
• Increased commitment to learning: Distance learners have a vested interest in the course content. Usually they are not as caught up in the "social" activities surrounding the college experience (such as football games, clubs, parties) as young students.
• Attitude and motivation: Most distance learners are in the course because they chose to be there. Therefore, they are more motivated to complete the course.
• Experience with distance courses: After successfully completing one distance course, students are more willing to take additional courses.
• Cognitive abilities: Distance learners who express higher cognitive abilities perform better. 
• Learning styles: Some research suggests that more field independent individuals do better in distance education environments than field dependent individuals. (See Learning Styles in Destination 2: Adult Learning for more about field independent and field dependent learners.) 
• Extracurricular concerns: Sometimes external factors (job, family obligations) influence whether a distance learner will be successful or not. Having family support is frequently critical in a student being able to devote time and energies to a distance course.

All of these indicators point to the importance of doing an audience analysis, as shown in Destination 3: Distance Education Instructional Design. Some ways this can be accomplished are by:

• Analyzing the general abilities of the class.
• Analyzing the potential for learner interactivity.
• Understanding the learner characteristics in your class.
• 
  

Now let's focus on helping learners succeed in their distance education courses.

Destination 4: 2 of 15