I found this article interesting because my nephew (who lives with me) is taking a few classes on-line through Texas Tech in order to graduate early. I do think the instructional quality is not as high as an actual teacher and it is not for everyone. A student has to be self-motivated in order for it to work and be effective.
This article explains how technology in the classroom changes the role of the teacher and students. Technology increases the students' motivation and self-esteem while allowing them to learn technical skills. In addition, the article explains how technology allows students to aaccomplish more complex task and work collaboratively with peers.