Education has changed more in the last twenty years than in the previous 100 years. This fact is due to the onslaught of online learning opportunities through web 2.0 and 3.0 technologies that allow users to interact almost seamlessly with other people and content. Rapid change brings with it the potential for new challenges about how students learn effectively online and, therefore, there is need for research and discovery regarding what learners need to be successful in online learning environments. This research focused on the lack of understanding and definition on how online students perceive engagement between student and instructor, specifically from the students' lived experience within online learning environments. The purpose of this research was to discover how experienced online learners perceived their own engagement needs with online instructors. Experienced or veteran online learners were chosen as participants because they had experiences with multiple online teachers, so their perceptions of engagement were not based on the engagement practices of one teacher. The conceptual framework for this qualitative phenomenological study was social development theory with social constructivism providing the researcher with parameters for better understanding the lived experiences of all participants being interviewed. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]