No matter how good our teaching materials, and how efficient our distribution system, distant students have to work by themselves without the support that comes from tutors, or from other students, in a conventional class. We need to consider how we can give them the individual encouragement, help, tuition and guidance which they need, and so overcome the barriers of distance and the remote student's feeling of isolation. In the previous chapter we suggested that some of those feelings, and some of our students' uncertainties, could be overcome if students met together, even without tutor.