I teach courses for several universities and student engagement is the most significant predictor of a student's final grade. If a student is engaged and motivated, the work is usually of passing quality at the very least. Even if it isn't, they can utilize feedback from earlier assignments to improve later ones and end up passing. The overwhelming majority of students who fail my courses are the ones that I never hear from and will not respond to email inquiries. This continually puzzles me as I wonder why would someone go through the trouble of applying, getting accepted, enrolling in classes, and then not participate. Fortunately, these folks represent a minority. The majority of students are adult learners with a sincere desire to learn. That's what makes teaching online courses rewarding. I also teach some on ground courses where the majority of students are traditional and the difference is significant. Cliff