Some students drop-out because they believe that the course is irrelevant to their learning needs. Some students drop-out due to lack of support from their employers. Students often state that they feel there is no contact with the instructor. When dealing with some types of distance education students cite technical problems as a major frustration. Students perceptions of what a course should be may not match what is delivered.
Students cite feelings of isolation during the distance education experience.
Students also expressed dissatisfaction with registration procedures. Since there are copyright issues involved, materials the instructor may use in the classroom may not be able to be used in the distance education environment that may mean that the university has to develop alternative equivalent materials. The use of two way video-audio entails not just equipment costs but the costs of establishing a useful environment. The infrastructure for providing student support is needed to help students with non-instructional and instructional issues. An infrastructure to administer programs is needed to monitor and help in the delivery of the courses.