The purpose of this study was to examine the social learning style preferences of adult learners taking web-based distance education courses and to determine if there were any relationships with age, gender, ethnicity, college major, attitude, and student satisfaction. Adult learners are increasing in numbers as distance education technologies continue to reduce the barriers to post-secondary education. The typical distance education student is an adult between the ages of 25 and 50 who has joined the labor force, is married, and is raising a family. This study provides insights that will benefit adult learners, instructional designers, and facilitators in a web-based learning environment. The major factors that impact success or failure in distance education courses are the interactions between students and between students and teachers. Research in this area is limited. To ensure adults receive and become satisfied with the education they are looking for, developers and facilitators of web-based courses must understand how adults learn, and specifically, how to make them comfortable interacting in a web-based environment. There were six major findings in this study. The first major finding suggests a relationship between age and social learning style preferences. Younger students are more competitive and less participative that older students. The second major finding suggests a relationship between gender and social learning style preferences. Male students tend to be more independent and competitive than female students. The third major finding suggests a relationship between ethnicity and learning style preferences. Students who use English as a second language are more avoidant than students who use English as their primary language. The fourth major finding suggests a relationship between student satisfaction and social learning style preferences. Web-based course facilitators that provide clear objectives, a workable syllabus, fair grading policies, and good presentation materials have a direct positive impact on the level of student participation and interaction. The fifth major finding suggests that, as students gain more experience with web-based courses, their level of satisfaction tends to increase. The final major finding suggests that the primary reason for taking web-based distance education courses is the flexibility it provides in fitting constrained schedules.