Jessica Baker has traded in her text books for a notebook-computer.

The high school junior said she no longer needs the traditional tools for school. She does not need pencil and paper and textbooks because this is a different approach.

Her chemistry class is online. 

The only contact she has with her chemistry teacher is all done on the computer.

Baker did not know when she signed up for chemistry that she would be out of the traditional classroom and in the virtual world.

"I found out a week before school and I kind of freaked out about that," said Baker.

It's a pretty common response for many students.

Alicia Daugherty, Credit Flexibility Facilitator at Triad High School, said the students do pretty well once they get the hang of it.

"It forces students to be good communications when they're confused they have to ask questions both to me and the instructors. But for the most part kids have been responding pretty well with it," said Daugherty.

Daugherty helps students take several different "do-it-yourself" courses.  Triad High School offers more than 20 online courses including German, Digital Photography, English 1, and Spanish 1.

The school uses the Aventa curriculum to serve students. It helps some students who may be struggling in traditional classrooms recover course credit and get back on track for graduation.

For Baker, her Chemistry course moved from the classroom to the chat room for special reasons.

The assigned teacher, Matt Lawrence, left in March for Iraq.  His deployment meant Triad had to get creative to fill the void.

"He sends e-mails to office staff who distribute it out so we can all keep up to date on how he's doing and where he's at," said Daugherty.

And as Mr. Lawrence marches on, Baker logs on for more chemistry.

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