Distance learning is making interactions once thought impossible ... possible. Indiana University's IU News Room reports that the "Mongolian prime minister Sukhbaatar Batbold took part in an introductory Mongolian class taught by Indiana University Bloomington's Tserenchunt Legden to students at the Australian National University (ANU) on Monday (Feb. 21) evening via distance learning technology."

The article goes on to report that

the course is offered through the ANU-IU Pan Asia Institute and is designed in part to share the two institutions' expertise in less commonly taught languages. To date ANU has provided Indonesian language instruction to IU students. IU has offered Mongolian to ANU students.

The event was festive, with students in Bloomington and Canberra charming the prime minister with "several traditional Mongolian songs. The experience was reported across the country in Mongolia, including on its three TV channels."

An exchange with a foreign dignitary perfectly exemplifies the opportunities distance learning affords students. Students are able to learn languages their home universities don't offer by means of distance learning. How else would students in Indiana be able to celebrate their educational achievements with the prime minister of Mongolia?