Informing the students about the technology and how it will be used helps to ease some of the anxiety that many distance education students experience in these types of courses. Information about the technology, how to access it and how to use it effectively should be part of any handbook or other type of materials that are sent to the students. One of the biggest complaints that distance education students have expressed is the lack of understanding from the sending site. These students often feel like second-class citizens because no one seems to know who they are when they call the campus. Issues such as advising or registration are critical to any student, but can be particularly problematic for the distance student.
Some schools require the students to come to campus for registration and advising.
This seems to go against the grain of why a school offers distance education courses in the first place. Students need quality advising, whether they are on the campus or not. The distance student should have a phone number of a contact on the main campus who is familiar with the unique situtations that can arise for these students. When the student calls the campus with questions about advising, registration, financial aid, or textbook information, the campus has a responsibility to simplify the process as much as possible. Students who get transferred from one office to another, only to find out they really need to speak to the first person they spoke with, leave programs angry and frustrated.