Online teaching in higher education has become increasingly common, particularly as colleges and universities attempt to serve surging enrollments in some areas and as they look to expand their offerings in other markets. A primary consumer of these courses is the nontraditional student. Because these nontraditional students have unique learning needs that must be addressed in the online classroom, this study sought to identify the barriers to success nontraditional students face in the online learning environment and the strategies teachers can use to assist these students. Assessment strategies for nontraditional students are also studied. Participants were 57 nontraditional students and faculty members who completed an online questionnaire. Among the barriers identified were a lack of experience with technology, a lack of support systems for the online learner, time constraints, and other aspects of the intangible aspects of supporting a culture of technology. Teacher responses reflected the home-grown responses of faculty members dealing with issues on a daily basis and responding with their own creative strategies. Assessment strategies identified were consistent with those of virtually any academic environment. The barriers and strategies identified were indicative of a labor market, college faculty, trained to perform the function of instruction in a live class situation but being asked to perform differently. (Contains 13 references.) (SLD)