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Discussion roles were designed in order to enable students to respond better and create deeper and more meaning-filled threaded discussions, especially if students are intimidated by the online environment. Students who might benefit from discussion roles might be poor typists, ESL students, or those who are generally "new" to the online discussion environment. Explained in chapters are the ten specialized discussion roles, how they may be applied in asynchronous discussion, the instructor´s role, scaffolding, and role evolution. Participants were first-year students new to both online learning and online asynchronous discussion. The outcome of the study reveals many benefits of using discussion roles in online asynchronous discussions.

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The author, Cheryl Hancock, Ph.D., teaches writing online at the University of Phoenix. She also instructs young children online in the art of grammar for Johns Hopkins´ Center for Talented Youth. She continually seeks ways to develop new ideas and help online students enjoy a quality, multi-faceted learning experience.

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