Support by tutors and communication between the learners are crucial for the quality of the learning process. Without these key components, eLearning is hardly accepted.
On the one hand, support is facilitated by communication tools, such as chat rooms, forums, e-mail, virtual classroom and phone, (even call centres), while on the other hand face-to-face meetings are helpful as well.

eLearning demands great commitment from tutors and from course participants. We cannot stress this enough. Participants take greater responsibility for their learning, and with that also for the overall success of the course (see also chapter 10).

The training practitioner acts as tutor, adviser and moderator all at the same time and supervises the self-organised learning process. In order to fulfill these prerequisites, tutors have to possess the specialised knowledge and pedagogical skills for assisting participants with learning difficulties.
Every trainer involved in the LERNET projects, both from educational institutions and from companies, has completed courses to qualify as a tele-tutor, telecoach or NetTrainer in order to be able to fulfil this new role within the learning process.

Trainers in online-based learning processes frequently feel overwhelmed. They must be flexible and adapt to the times (see chapter 12), learning habits and objectives of the participants and must function as THE contact person learners can turn to when they have questions or problems.