Online learning offers a more flexible schedule than traditional learning. A traditional class meets during specified hours, in a predetermined location. You show up for the class or you miss the learning. In an online class, however, learning happens on the student's own time (within reasonable limits). A professor might assign work for the week and then expect the student to finish that work on his own time during that week. If you have to do your work at midnight, you can, as long as you finish it by the deadline. If you have Internet access and a computer at home, you don't ever have to leave your living room in order to fulfill your class requirements.
In a traditional learning environment, a teacher meets with her students on a regular basis. She provides direct instruction on the course materials, issues reminders about due dates, and offers one-on-one assistance with completing assignments. She is physically present as a motivator who helps her students complete a course.
In an online course, the professor is still available for assistance, but only through email or phone calls. A student in an online course has to motivate himself to complete the work, and if he needs help, he needs to take the initiative to contact the professor. The student needs to manage his own time well in order to complete assignments since there aren't specific dates or times to go to class to work on them.
In order to take a traditional course, you have to be able to fit that course into your lifestyle. For an online course, you can have a regular life during the day and complete the course work on your own time. This means that nontraditional students have increased access to online courses. Working parents, full-time professionals, or even people who have to stay in bed for health reasons can all complete an online course when a traditional one might not work for their lifestyles.