More than one in four students now take at least one course online. The most common factors cited as affecting distance education decisions are meeting student demand for flexible schedules (68%), providing access for students who would not have access (67%), and making more courses available (46%) (National Center for Education Statistics, 2008). Distance education is in demand by a growing number of students. Advocates of distance education argue that there is no reason to assume online learning is inferior in quality when compared to traditional courses. However, critics argue that discrepancies exist between traditional and distance education in terms of specific variables. Another criticism of online learning includes lack of class interaction, both student-to-student and student-to-instructor. This study addressed the following questions: (a) did students perceive differences in course design as a result of course implementation; (b) did students perceive that coursework addressed higher order thinking skills; and (c) were there differences in student achievement?