A study by Babson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts and Alfred P. Sloan Foundation will attempt to determine the number of people who are learning online. Babson associate professor I. Elaine Alien says the question may seem simplistic but because the field is so new, there is no comprehensive data source at the federal or private levels that measures trends and patterns. A major goal of the study is to determine where online learning is being used successfully and where improvements can be made.