When using existing, traditional courses these represent an initial cost, but the existing courses make it fairly easy to adapt on-line. Breakeven is often obtained with 16-18 students. The pedagogical issue is probably more important than the technology. Experience shows that when the first courses start out simple, as an electronic correspondence school with problem-oriented education, links etc., the costs are fairly low. The feedback obtained from students so far, indicate that many students wanted mainly web-pages, new information, new exercises.
Cost efficiency is an aim.
The price for the GEDS courses should be low. The rationale must be to open up education to groups of persons that otherwise would not have access. Others think that distant learning is not necessarily less costly, but improves quality because it is more focused. The support system is crucial. Without a good support system, there will probably be many dropouts.