Once a school district decides to offer students virtual classes, it has to recognize the costs associated with the implementation, the logistical needs, the staff that will be needed to assist students, and the maintenance of the technology. Adapting the philosophy of virtual education is only the beginning. The role of the traditional teacher and the classroom changes drastically in concert with the role of virtual learning and technology applications. One of the greatest challenges to implementing a virtual high school is training high school teachers who have experienced only traditional, face-to-face teaching, to become virtual educators. The new breed of schools use email, online chat rooms, Internet resources and archived resources to teach students. Virtual classes are offered to meet the needs of junior high, high school, college, and continual learning students. The instructional medium is particularly effective for four types of courses: advanced courses; innovative core academic courses that maximize the use of technology; courses for language minorities; and technical courses. Examples of the state and uses of virtual learning in schools and universities are given, with discussion including the technology, Internet connectivity, course credits, costs, special education, rural education, advantages, challenges and obstacles and future prospects. (Contains 27 references.) (AEF)