Here's the problem:

My sister hates school. She can't stay inside the classroom for long without haveing a need to get outside for awhile, and if she doesn't get outside, she gets really dizzy and is unable to think straight until she does.

To solve that problem, she's been considering going to school through the internet. She'll still get a High School Diploma, and not just a GED. As far as we can tell, this website is the best possible way to keep her in school without her going completly insane.

I was just wondering if anyone here had done this, or if anyone you know had. We'd like to get the opinion of a person who had done this, to make sure that it really is a good solution!

Here's the site:
Ed anywhere

Well, I can't speak for high school classes, but I've done almost my entire uni degree (through Eastern Oregon University) from 50 miles from where my uni is actually located without much traveling to campus. This has meant mostly online and independent study classes...though several have been at the place here in my town where my exams are proctored. My choice to do this was mainly because at the time I enrolled I couldn't find a way to move. I was tied to a town without a uni actually in it, and I knew of Eastern and knew it was a good school (many of my high school teachers went there), so I decided to try their distance ed thing.

Anyway, that place you linked is accredited, so her diploma would be legitimate and everything. If you're wondering about other options, you might want to see if your local community college does online courses. I know that the one near (well.."near" being 100 miles) me does and a few kids I knew used credits from there in order to graduate with our class. So if she still wanted to walk at graduation with all of her friends and stuff, that might be an option. The tuition looks comparable to a community college anyway. Oh, and you can get financial aid for a community college.

But as far as her inability to concentrate goes...it's infinitely harder to get motivated doing independent study courses. A lot of mine have videos of taped lectures from the on-campus version of the class, and that also requires sitting in one spot for quite awhile. Though there's always the pause button, of course, which is something she wouldn't have in a physical school setting. There are so many distractions that are readily available...like the forums and IRC for me. That being said, though, I'm quite happy with the education I've received. Sometimes I'm kind of sad that I don't really have any uni friends to show for the past four years. I just have uni acquaintances since I see them so infrequently. But as far as actually learning things, it's been great.

The social aspect of it is definitely something to consider, especially in high school. It might be kind of alienating for her if her friends are always talking about things that are going on at school that she doesn't know about. It was a bit different for me since at the time that was really my only choice if I wanted to actually get my degree (I'd already taken two years off after high school, and knew that if I put it off longer I might end up not getting it at all).

I'd advise your sister and parents to talk to the high school guidance counselor if they haven't already. There are a lot of things to consider, but yes independent study and online courses can offer a good education. I think it all depends on the place you're doing them through, which is why I'd suggest a community college. The instructors there will probably have less students and be able to pay more personal attention to her. And I think a lot of community colleges do distance education these days. Anyway, good luck to her with whatever she decides to do.

To reiterate a point that candice brought up, school and uni are also about learning social boundaries and social interaction, i have friends that went to single sex boarding schools (one male one female) who will readilly attest to the fact that they felt very dissadvantaged when going to college and uni and being forced to interact with members of the opposite sex.

If this is the only wayto get your sister through high school then by all means go for it, but do take into account the social factor.

Not to be personal but has your sister been to a doctor about this? Is there some sort of help she can get?, this sounds like a symptom of A.D.D. / A.D.H.D (attention defecit disorder / Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder) to me which can be suppressed with medication.

Go Here ADD.ORG for more info.