by Rachon Ward

Created on: July 21, 2010   Last Updated: July 22, 2010

The Importance Of Virtual Education

Most people are familiar with public schools or private schools, but few are familiar with virtual education. Virtual education is an online education using today's technology online classrooms, computers, web cams, Wacom boards and slide presentations just to name a few.

Virtual education fills a gap that a traditional educational setting cannot provide or in many cases cannot afford. The biggest of these is special education, which is costly and during these economical times many schools are finding it difficult to provide services due to lack of funding. Many of these children are falling through the cracks.

Safety in the classroom for teachers and fellow students is an issue in cases of some children who cannot control their movements, seizures or tempers due to learning disabilities, birth defects and illnesses. In children with Autism, ADHD or Bi-Polar for example, these children can disrupt the classroom and other children trying to learn, through no fault of their own. Traditional education is not and does not work for them.

Children with mild learning disabilities and behave very well are usually swept under the carpet. Their learning disabilities are ignored. Many of these children are drugged needlessly, so they are not disruptive or pose problems. Parents of these children are usually told their children are unable to learn, they are only attending schools for social skills.

For the teachers I call true educators, their class sizes are to large and they do not have the time to individually teach the learning disabled or special needs child properly. Time restraints and class sizes just do not allow it.

In Georgia's recent Gubernatorial election, I was surprised to learn how many candidates did not support virtual education. They see no need for it or were afraid of money not going to the public school system. They failed to see how much money virtual education saves taxpayers in insurance, food, buses, bus drivers teachers, safety of teachers as well as students.

In walks virtual education to save the day! With virtual education many students who were deemed unteachable are now learning by leaps and bounds. This would include, special needs children, gifted children and children who cannot attend school because of behavior problems.

Virtual education works for these children for many reasons. One they can work at their own pace. For those who are easily distracted, the distractions are toned down or cut

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