With CMC, you also have the opportunity to contact your instructor at any time. Transmission time for CMC messages is virtually instantaneous. However, it is important to remember that the fact that the messages are transmitted that quickly does not mean that the receiver will answer immediately. Delays of a few hours to a day or more are not uncommon, as people will be logging on to check their messages at all hours of the day and night, and on different days. As a result, you won't have any visual cues to guide you as you correspond with others.
Visual cues have some important positive implications for normal communications processes.
However, some visual cues, such as gender, age, and so on, may be distracting. With CMC, people often find it is easier to focus on the content of the message, rather than the characteristics of its author. Even on the telephone, we still have pauses and tone of voice to help us. With CMC, all these cues are gone, and you may occasionally find it difficult to assess the effects of your words, or even to express yourself. Precision in expression, compassion, good humour, and patience, all are critical to minimizing misunderstandings.