This paper describes some of the issues involved in refining Internet-based, asynchronous conference forums to meet the learning needs of adult students in distant inservice and graduate courses. The paper focuses on an analysis of existing instruction delivery systems and explores identification of optimal environments for inservice professional development courses. Topics addressed include: (1) the traditional campus; (2) virtual campuses; (3) the adult as a student; (4) needs of adults as online learners, including flexibility of schedule, direct and immediate applicability of material, positive connection to previous experiences, problem-solving orientation, and self-direction; (5) dangers inherent in an online environment; (6) the graduate education programs at Nova Southeastern University (Florida) School of Computer and Information Sciences (SCIS); (7) the Learning Place at SCIS; (8) distant instruction at SCIS; and (9) moving toward optimization. (Contains 20 references.) (MES)