Since 1990, it has been possible to charge fees for all of Australia's Technical and Further Education (TAFE) courses. Although data can be extracted regarding TAFE enrollment patterns before and after the introduction of fees, detailed information about economically disadvantaged students cannot be obtained through the existing data collection system. Past studies have shown that fees constitute only one of a set of interacting factors affecting an individual's decision to enroll in TAFE. Other factors include the following: barriers to participation, allocation of finances without households, psychological/sociological factors, fee payment methods, and relationship between fee size and individual investment decisions. A 1990 study of the likely impact of fees and charges on TAFE students confirmed that patterns of participation in TAFE are complex and affected by a range and combination of factors and that fees must not be treated as an isolated variable influencing participation in TAFE. It was recommended that additional information about individuals' decisions to enroll in TAFE be collected through national surveys and that efforts be focused on modifying fee payment methods and ensuring that disadvantaged groups are not excluded from vocational education because of their inability to meet tuition and associated costs. (Contains 14 references.) (MN)