Best Virtual Classroom Software of 2026

Distance learning courses are a long-established tradition in education and training. Indeed, the University of London established its international program in 1858, making it the world’s oldest provider of distance and flexible learning.

Even so, seemingly unavoidable disadvantages have typically resulted in lower completion rates for distance learning than for in-person classes. Until the 21st century, there was no way to avoid the lack of direct interaction between student and teacher or the demoralizing effects of student isolation. Today, however, software has made it possible for distance learning to be conducted in real time and with a much more personal quality.

This guide will help prospective buyers learn more about virtual classroom software. In it, we’ll cover:

What is virtual classroom software?

Common features of virtual classroom software

Benefits of virtual classroom software

What type of buyer are you?

Recent developments you should know about

What is virtual classroom software?

Virtual classroom technology is part of the broader learning management (LMS) software category. It provides individuals and organizations with conferencing and collaboration capabilities necessary for virtual training or online learning. As a result, instructors can directly interact with learners anywhere in the world with an Internet connection, while maximizing both time and location flexibility.

Common features of virtual classroom software

Virtual classroom software can be used by educators as well as trainers at organizations with a large geographical reach, in order to bring the learning experience to students wherever they are located while reducing travel costs to zero. Buyers should expect to find the following functionality in their new system:

Benefits of virtual classroom software

Organizations that use a virtual classroom solution are able to:

• Provide students with the flexibility of following and completing courses at their own pace.

• Deliver education and training to students who are currently employed or whose scheduling commitments prevent them from attending in-person classes.

• Expand the reach of their education to anywhere on the globe—so long as students have access to the Internet, they can attend an online class.

• Reduce travel costs for instructors and learners to zero.

What type of buyer are you?

Virtual classroom technology can be used by individual tutors and organizations alike. Although marketing materials are often aimed at educational institutions, any organization with a large and dispersed workforce can benefit from using this technology for internal new-hire and personal development courses, as it eliminates the need for employees to travel for training.

That said, some solutions do cater specifically to higher or secondary ed, while others predominantly serve the corporate world. Meanwhile, some vendors offer different, specialized products for different types of buyers, while some products can be leveraged equally effectively by any type of organization.

What's most important when choosing a virtual classroom tool is finding a product with the features and functionality you need, regardless of the type of buyer it's marketed to most heavily.

Recent developments you should know about

Although some instructors still harbor doubts about remote learning and virtual classroom tools, they are becoming increasingly commonplace due to the many benefits they offer. Indeed, prestigious educational organizations are now using these tools.

For example, in August 2015, Harvard Business School demonstrated its confidence in virtual classroom technology by launching HBX Live: a virtual classroom capable of “seating” 60 students simultaneously. With this, students from around the world are able to log in and interact directly with faculty members teaching courses. Participants are displayed on individual screens, replicating the effect of sitting in a traditional classroom, while others can "audit" classes via an observer model.