In continuing with the trend reported in yesterday's entry, not only is respect growing, but some companies prefer students who received online educations.

This article contains an illuminating list of reasons why virtual education should be seen as a plus, rather than a shortcoming.

I'm sure thousands of students who must, or prefer, to earn degrees online will be glad to hear this, and it's nice to see the ' flip side' of the issue.

Online education is entering the mainstream, according to some higher education analysts, and its growing popularity with employers is part of the reason. Increasing the knowledge of their workforce is a prime benefit for employers, and many companies are finding ways to support employees who want to continue their education or earn advanced degrees online.

Employers' efforts are being aided by online degree providers, which are catering to businesses by offering features such as discounted tuition and customized programs designed to fit the needs of specific companies and industries.

What's happening in business corresponds to a surge in online education overall. Eduventures, a Boston-based provider of market research and analysis for the education industry, reported that the number of students in fully online higher education programs grew nearly 34 percent in 2004. In addition, a 2004 study conducted by the Sloan Consortium found online enrollment significantly outpacing higher education enrollment overall.

Increasing employees' satisfaction and retention are some of the most important reasons cited by organizations for using online higher education, according to a March 2005 survey of 151 learning executives by the American Society for Training & Development (ASTD), based in Alexandria, Va.

Approximately 29 percent of corporate tuition reimbursements now go to online or blended programs, according to the ASTD survey. About 58 percent of the survey respondents expect the role of online higher education to increase in their organization over the next two or three years.

Online education's appeal in the workplace reflects the fact that it's " a natural extension of today's work environment,&lrquo; says Richard Coffey, director of manufacturing, functional and employee development training for the Boeing Co.'s learning, training and development unit, because " it mimics how we work.&lrquo;

By delivering a flexible means of education that is " needed in today's business world,&lrquo; online education is gaining increasing acceptance from employers, says Rock Primas, director of learning and development for PHH Mortgage in Mount Laurel, N.J. In building a better-educated workforce, online education presents a wealth of benefits.