My experience from the online courses I've taken is that students would need to be highly motivated and self-directed to be successful in such classes.
I see online education as a valuable addition to traditional schooling, but I think it is a long way from replacing it.
I think computer training is good for the base material that has to be memorized. Essentially glorified flash cards.
What I see with the move to virtual schools is a validation to home schooling. Imagine if a public school has to compete with virtual schools ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
Thus parents could reject PC nonsense history classes and substitute a vitual correct history class from somewhere else.
For the child who needs institutionalization, yes, I absolutely agree with you. On-line courses are a valuable addition.
For the academically successful homeschooled child, I think on-line teaching offers almost unlimited opportunities.
Hopefully we will soon see inexpensive, foreign, “out-sourced” teachers for full elementary, middle, and high school programs. I know that I would have found this very convenient. Being one of the pioneers in homeschooling, I did have quite a few false starts when it came to teaching some subjects.
If I were an Indian teacher, I would set up a paypal account. Advertise on Craig's List, and then build my professional education professional practice through the word of mouth of satisfied customers.