There are both pros and cons to distance education. Some of the advantages of distance/virtual education are that:

• Mobile/migrant students have access to continuous programs of education.
  
• Programs may be less expensive than those in traditional classrooms, owing to smaller facilities and instructor costs.
  
• Working students may take courses at hours that suit their schedules.
  
• Instruction may be offered in a more personalized format than that available in traditional classroom settings.
  
• Courses not available at a student’s school may be taken online.
  
• Severely disabled students who are unable to attend class in a traditional classroom setting may be able to take quality distance/virtual courses.

• The structure of online/televised courses may not allow for student-to-student socialization.
  
• Student participation in the course may be difficult to monitor.
  
• Technology expenses such as teacher training, technical support and hardware/software/modem purchases may outweigh any perceived facilities/staff hour savings.
  
• Courses may succumb to a listing of facts rather than the group interaction and inquiry that many educators believe is a necessary component of true “education.”