A survey of 50 academic institutions was designed to seek evidence of variation in student performance based on age, gender, graduate major, and instructional modality--i.e., traditional on-campus instruction, non-interactive videotape delivery, and interactive delivery systems complemented with real-time audio feedback. Responses were received from 8 of the institutions to whom requests for data were sent, resulting in a sample size of 8,431 graduate students. The sample was broken down into categories of on-campus degree-seeking students; on-campus non-degree students; off-campus degree-seeking students enrolled in courses delivered in a non-interactive (videotape) mode; off-campus non-degree students enrolled in non-interactive (videotape) courses; off-campus degree-seeking students enrolled in courses offered interactively; and off-campus non-degree students enrolled in interactively delivered courses. Data analyses show that: (1) these categories do affect student performance as it is measured by grades; (2) there are significant variations found among male students according to instructional category; (3) student age affects performance although gender does not; (4) as long as levels of student/faculty interaction are at a level sufficient to support quality instruction, non-interactive delivery formats are both useful and effective in balancing competing work and school demands; and (5) distance education students perform better when they control not only where but when learning occurs. (DB)