The effects of students' preferred learning styles on perceived individual academic achievement, attitudes toward the learning environment, and course completion rates were examined in a distance education setting. Nine female graduate education students attended weekly classes on a Texas Tech University campus in Lubbock, and 17 female graduate education students attended weekly classes at a remote distance learning site in Odessa (Texas). Both groups of students were simultaneously taught, using the same course content. Data were collected for 14 weeks. All students completed the course and responded to the 25-item Student Data Profile Survey, a 25-item course pretest and posttest, the Canfield Learning Styles Inventory, and the Course Follow-Up Survey. Findings suggest that learning style preferences may affect academic achievement and attitude of students involved in distance education settings, replicating the results of studies of students in traditional classroom settings. Learning style instruments could be given to students in distance education courses, and instructors could vary instruction to encompass the different preferences, conforming instruction toward the modality through which students learn best. One table presents study findings. (Contains 13 references.) (SLD)