As the demand for tertiary education increases, Caribbean universities are choosing online education as a means of increasing access to education. The transition from the traditional classroom to the online classroom proved challenging for some. The problem of this study was to analyze why Caribbean adult learners do not perceive online education as providing the same learning experience as the traditional classroom. Little research has explored the perception of online learners in the Caribbean. This research was based on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. The focus was the immediate needs necessary before higher order learning needs are met. Research questions explored the perceptions and experiences of Caribbean adult learners in the online class as opposed to the traditional classroom. Young Caribbean adult learners between the ages of 18 and 25 provided a description of online classes and explained the experiences with online classes and in the traditional classroom. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive case study was to explore the perceptions of young Caribbean adult learners in an online classroom as opposed to the traditional classroom setting. Qualitative case study research was used to explore the reasons and motivations of the participants in the research study. The population for this study was 14 students who completed online and on-ground classes at the University of the Southern Caribbean. Purposive sampling was used to identify the participants for the study. Data were collected through questionnaires and semistructured interviews, and template analysis was used to document students’ experiences.