JET_V9_N1_RP3 Abdulkarim A. Al Saif Journal of Educational Technology 2230 - 7125 9 1 44 55 Diagnose, Discouraging Factors, Encouraging Factors, Distance Education, Technology Use, Study Tasks, Internet Skills The aim of this study is to diagnose the difficulties and discouraging factors impinging upon the use of distance education practically Web Based Instruction (WBI) by students at Qassim University, Saudi Arabia. 442 students from seven university colleges interested in WBI were asked about how far a set of factors outlined in the study discourage them from the use of distance education in general and web-based instruction (WBI) in particular as a supplement to the traditional classroom lecture/lab approach. Apparently if such difficulties or discouraging factors are neutralized, the students will be better motivated to use distance education and web-based instruction. The research used questionnaires to determine the influence of the factors in question upon student's use of distance education and (WBI). The major findings of the study indicate that the difficulties or factors discouraging students from using distance education and (WBI) were negatively correlated with technology skills and use. the participants have good to very good computer and Internet skills. Thus, it was found that the computer and Internet skills and use were correlated with age, the technology skills and use were correlated with gender, and the technology skills and use correlated with colleges. April - June 2012 Copyright & copy; 2012 i-manager publications. All rights reserved. i-manager Publications http://www.imanagerpublications.com/Article.aspx?ArticleId=1813