The Social Studies Department of the Open University of Sri Lanka has administered the B.A. Degree in Social science for the past two decades. With a generous World Bank Grant known as the Quality Innovative Grant, (QIG), two years ago, we were able to up-grade our existing B.A. Degree program and introduce a series of new subjects in keeping with the demands of the industry and the students. The use of I.M.M (interactive multi-media), S.M.S. alerts, many online courses, video conferences, and a digital dictionary were some of the new technological supported learning that were introduced under this World Bank Grant. However, the students’ response was not very encouraging. Instead of studying with supported teaching by using technology, most of the students used the method of, “cut and paste” from the Wikipedia and some also opted to drop out from the degree. In order to find why this was happening, a qualitative research method, namely a focus group discussion was conducted among the visiting academics of the regional centers. According to the answers given, one of the main disadvantages of distance learning is the absence of social interaction among students who are enrolled in study programs. Unlike in the conventional universities, often students miss the privilege of social interaction with teachers and their peers. Another drawback mentioned is that distance learning is an inappropriate format for everyone though many like to enroll. Due to the limited intake in the conventional universities in Sri Lanka, without inquiring about the suitability of distant learning, a number of young people tend to enroll with the Open University as a kind of a novelty. However, not everyone is suitable for enrollment in distant programs especially if a person tends to lag behind his/her work, lacks motivation and requires individual coaching from the teacher. It is a fact that some students learn only when they are physically present in the class and assimilating all the information personally. Many visiting academics admitted that technical innovations alone were not very helpful especially to motivate students. To bridge the gap of distance, there is a need for new forms of technology-supported learning and effective distance learning instructors. However, New Technology alone is not sufficient. Finding the right solution is a daunting task for academics who use Distance Education to teach in Sri Lanka.