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We use a program called Elluminate which has real time conversation capability.

That's very cool - so you can check pronunciation in addition to grammar, etc, then?

I am not sure if I would totally like being an online teacher. I think I'd miss the whole-class interaction sometimes.

Also, it seems to me that this form of instruction would work best (at least right now) for visual learners and more motivated students. Many of my students are more auditory and kinesthetic, and we do a lot of hands-on activities that would not translate well to online.

My neice works as a elementary school math tutor in a Washington, D.C. suburb. She charges 60$ an hour and has a full schedule of students. She began by advertising on Craig's list, and that now all of her new students are through word of mouth.

Indian teachers can surely advertise on Craig's list, and they too can later build their professional practices through word of mouth. It is for this reason that I expect the cost of tutoring to drop dramatically very soon in the comming years.

Also, given the technology of webcam, e-mail, fax, scanning, PC tablets, etc. I see no reason why children in the U.S. couldn't have their own personal and inexpensive elementary or middle school teacher. As I have previously posted, personal tutor is amazingly efficient. ( about 2 hours) a day.

Finally,...I think drawing the line at high school for on-line tutoring is an artificial boundary for age.

By the way, I enjoyed the links. Thank you.

Yeah, Eluminate is pretty cool. The teacher can lecture and the kids can listen and take notes. If/when the teacher thinks it is appropriate, kids can ask questions or talk with each other, but it is always monitored.

Oddly enough, it was in a Virtual Virginia class that my daughter encountered her first instance of true high school bullying. I guess the kid didn't realize that every interaction was monitored and he came out with some nasty, taunting, very very ugly stuff. The DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION IN VIRGINIA got involved because it was so bad and the kid was expelled from the program.