They are willing and able to take responsibility for their learning and can accept a learning environment in which the instructor is a facilitator of knowledge application rather than a dispenser of information. Adult students take with them into each course vast and varied experiences and knowledge upon which further knowledge is built. All that information and all those experiences are incorporated into applying knowledge to real life and work situations. DL requires the ability to relate new ideas and previous knowledge. Another major element is the ability to relate and communicate online in a text-based medium.
Some universities have technology infrastructures that include teleconferencing, audio and video.
While these latest are not yet the norm, as technology becomes more widely available, more courses will include these features as well. DL students must be able to recognize their strengths and limitations. Excellent time management skills are mandatory in an online course. DL instructors assist students in time management skills in a variety of ways, including posting due dates and participation requirements. If a student does not post assignments or respond to discussions, then an instructor will send a private email or call the student to find out if there is a problem with which the student needs assistance.