It is often easier to meet on neutral ground. Once the group gets to know each other it may decide to meet at someone's house. Regular commitment to a study group is an effective method of keeping distance education students focused on the tasks at hand. It is too easy for other duties and interests to swamp distance education students. If you work with a group it will help you to keep up and come to terms with new and difficult concepts.
Most students are new to tertiary study and nearly all are new to distance education.
Email means that students do not have to limit contact to students in their local area. Even students overseas can be contacted for a local telephone call through email.