Online learning is impacting current university practices and policies and quickly changing the fabric of higher education (Rowley, Lujan, & Dolence, 1998). Effective assessment techniques can improve an instructor's understanding of student needs and provide a learner-centered classroom. Understanding and evaluating student learning becomes essential specifically when students and instructors cannot see each other. Transactional distance, a communications gap between the instructor and learners due to physical distance (Moore & Kearsley, 1996), may occur in online learning. This article discusses classroom assessment strategies and techniques, such as the Minute Paper, that can help instructors close the communications gap that can impede effective online teaching and learning.