Online education has increased greatly in recent years among K-12 learners and post-secondary learners. Online learning provides opportunities such as course remediation or access to courses not typically offered, which have benefited many learners. The growth of online learning has also presented educators with challenges as well. Students in fully online classes often perform poorly on standardized tests when compared to their counterparts in traditional classrooms. This is not the case with the students of the Georgia Virtual School, where students participate in fully online coursework and perform on par with traditionally schooled students in the state of Georgia. The purpose of this research project was to identify what practices educators from the Georgia Virtual School use to effectively teach online learners and promote academic achievement in the virtual classroom. A qualitative approach was implemented during the research process to collect data. An exploratory case study design was used to examine online instructional practices of Georgia Virtual School educators. Data was collected through individual teacher interviews, individual administrator interviews, and a teacher focus group. A purposive sampling method was used to identify qualified study participants, and prospective participants were only considered if they had been teaching for a minimum of three years, which is the number of years required to be considered a veteran teacher as outlined by the state of Georgia. Several key themes emerged in the identification and codification of data. Thematic results of the study that positively impact online student learning include the importance of a quality online curriculum, highly skilled and motivated educators, individualized instruction and feedback, and timely and consistent communication between the teacher and all parties invested in the learning process. One recommendation based on the results of this study is that online institutions must create and implement quality curriculum in an online environment. A second recommendation based on the results of this study is that online institutions must implement policies that promote timely and consistent communication between teachers and students. Based on the results of this study continued research in the field of online education includes sampling other successful online schools and identifying what types of communication are most critical for student success in an online setting. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]