It completely and utterly depends on the specific online degree and what it entails. Certain fields convert to online training easier than others. In some cases, you are definitely right. In chemistry, for example, not being able to be present in a classroom to actively take part in lab work would make the degree virtually worthless in practicality. If one is studying computer software or literature, however, there ultimately is no point in being in a classroom when one is perfectly capable of using a computer or reading a book at home and discussing it online. One thing you seem to misunderstand, however, is that online courses DO involve interacting with the teachers. It is still a class, and teachers and students still discuss topics and sit through lectures and ask questions– the whole kit-and-kaboodle. They just do it via the internet. Again, ultimately the worth of an online degree depends on what degree it is and where you got it.