This study examined the effects of using podcasts as a medium of communication toward affecting student perception of community within the online learning environment. A control and treatment group comparison design was employed with 184 online undergraduate students selected through purposive sampling at Ashland Community and Technical College. For this study, independent variables included student exposure to podcasts, student non-exposure to podcasts and the covariates of age, gender and academic field of study. The dependent variables were student perception of community based on the factors of connectedness and learning in addition to student propensity to continue an online course. Research data were collected via a survey based on Rovai's (2002) Classroom Community Scale. Survey data were analyzed through descriptive statistics, bivariate analysis (correlation, t-test, ANOVA) and multivariate analysis (ANCOVA). In comparing the experimental group to the control group, the findings indicated that there were statistically significant differences. The experimental group reported significantly greater student perception of connectedness and significantly greater propensity to continue the course. In comparing the experimental and the control groups on student perception of learning, no significant differences were found. This study addresses a complete lack of existing relative literature, specifically quantitative evidence to validate a specific application of podcasting within the realm of online higher education and adds to the growing knowledge on how to effectively create online learning communities. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]