ABSTRACT
A way of approaching the analysis of student groups would involve looking more specifically at the courses offered, as reflected, for example, in the institution’s official guides or handbooks. In contrast to the emphasis on student demand as a prime factor and often different issue, is that of societal need in determining the nature of student populations. To a large extent, the main characteristics of the student groups taking distance-learning courses are determined by the political and social motivations underyling the establishment of the relevant institutions, and their course profiles. The brief review of courses and students of the new distance-teaching universities demonstrates well the diversity of needs and demands for which the institutions are catering. Once students have enrolled on a distance-learning course, procedures need to be devised to obtain appropriate information on a regular basis from them. Collection of information on students in a distance-learning system can be a costly and time-consuming exercise.
