A study will be conducted to determine if the learning style of field dependence/independence has any effect on the cognitive outcomes and attitudes of students in a distance education class. The instructional strategies of group and individual learning will be compared to see which one results in greater learning and which one students prefer and enjoy most when learning at a distance. Quantitative data will be gathered from two sources: a criterion referenced test of the instructional content and a Likert scale measuring attitudes, satisfaction, and preferences toward instructional strategies. Both of these tests will be given before and after the study to assess any change in learning and attitude. Subjects will be volunteer college undergraduate students. The Group Embedded Figures Test (GEFT) will be used to determine their level of field dependence at the beginning of the study and the students will be randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups. The first group will receive the instruction in small groups of four students; each group will function as autonomously as possible with the teacher operating only as a facilitator. The second group will receive the same instructional materials and objectives but students will work on the materials individually, and the teacher will facilitate and answer questions as they arise. All of the instruction will be delivered at a distance using two-way video and two-way audio media. This paper concludes with four research questions and three hypotheses that will be examined and a discussion of the implications of this research. (50 references) (BBM)