Actually, in a typical course you cannot interact with other people like this. The Mexican students note the ease and speed of networking in their distance learning program. Currently everything is based on technology, and they must conduct business with people in different countries without having to travel. They see that learning to network electronically gives them a competitive advantage over colleagues who are not so technologically literate. Businesses today are not just local but have offices all over the world.
Technology also promotes networking because it allows people to express themselves more freely.
People who are not very outgoing often feel freer to communicate in writing than they do when speaking in front of a group in a traditional classroom. Others recognize that technology gives them access to an education they could not otherwise receive. For the first time it is possible for them to receive a prestigious master's degree from a US institution without leaving their country. Several students noted that people have to work at communicating with others electronically, and the rewards can be very satisfying. We're breaking new paradigms.