A major challenge in WBT is assuring that the interactivity necessary to learning is incorporated in the instructional design. While critics of distance learning have focused on the lack of interactivity as its "missing ingredient," proponents argue that the technology now allows Web-based interactions and collaborations that are as extensive and satisfying as in traditional classroom environments. Since WBT is not bounded by classroom walls, participants can have easy access to experts and multiple perspectives from around the world.

The Web provides great potential for collaborative learning, especially among adults. Unless learners are in residence in a learning environment, face-to-face collaborations can be unrealistic and logistically impossible for working adults with multiple responsibilities and commitments. Collaborative projects on-line can provide a framework that motivates meaningful interactions among learners. Collaborative projects can be the foundation of an extended learning community, inclusive of multiple perspectives.