In May 2009, the US Department of Education released a meta-analysis of effectiveness studies of online, face-to-face, and blended learning models. The analysis found that online learning produced better student outcomes than face-to-face classes, and that blended learning offered an even "larger advantage" over face-to-face. The hybrid approach to learning has benefited both from the trials of early adopters and the technological advances of recent years. The author discusses how two pioneering institutions have perfected the blended model. (Contains 5 online resources.)