On-Line Learning

There are many things that I like about online learning. The freedom to work when I have time and not having to go anywhere to go to class are two of the biggest. I do have some problems with online work and that is with people who do not do their part or do it very late. I struggle with relying on others to complete tasks. In a face-to-face class discussion /projects are worked on right there. In an online course where discussion is a part of it (which has been every online course that i have taken) you have to wait for others to take part in the discussion before it can continue. For example if something is due on the 15th it does not help too much to post on the 14th at 10:30pm. There can be no discussion or at least not much since it was so late. So then it is more of a comment board and not so much a discussion board. While I know that there can be discussions after the due date I find that many times people do not go back. They move on to the next task. I wonder how these teachers would handle this in their own classroom. A question is asked or a comment is made and no one in the class answers or responds until 4 seconds before the bell rings. Would this work? While online is different for many how long does it take for people (especially teachers) to get on board and see the benefits of participating a little more fully and a little earlier.