More and more choices for learning Japanese are appearing throughout the Internet. Dozens of sites offer free Japanese materials for learning to read and write hiragana and kanji; other sites offer Japanese grammar materials; and at some sites you can learn Japanese by listening to pre-recorded lessons.

More and more choices for learning Japanese are appearing throughout the Internet. Dozens of sites offer free Japanese materials for learning to read and write hiragana and kanji; other sites offer Japanese grammar materials; and at some sites you can learn Japanese by listening to pre-recorded lessons.

However, free sites are a double-edged sword: Many sites are incomplete or unsupported, and it is difficult to know the reliability of the learning materials. Without a teacher to monitor a student's progress, some students have a hard time staying on track to learn Japanese.

An online Japanese school, where you take live Japanese lessons from a teacher in a virtual classroom, is another learning option. Online schools let you study from home, and connect students to Japanese teachers worldwide. At most online Japanese schools, you buy lesson tickets and then use one ticket for each lesson. Most schools offer private Japanese lessons (usually 50 minutes) for about $30; some schools offer group lessons for about $10.

Beyond the lesson basics, each online Japanese school may offer additional services, such as chat rooms, to their students. When choosing an online Japanese school, consider these important questions:

Do I plan to take private lessons? You and your teacher meet in an online classroom, and have a private Japanese lesson as if you were in person. Most schools customize private lessons to the student's learning goals, so make it clear what you want to focus on and what you hope to achieve through private lessons. If you have a Japanese textbook in mind, make sure the teacher will build lessons using your preferred textbook.

Do I want to take group lessons? Group lessons for learning Japanese are another option. Group lessons are a cheaper option, and lots of students enjoy the interaction with other students and getting the chance to speak Japanese in front of other students.

However, your progress in learning Japanese may be slower than with private lessons, as you compete with other students at different skill levels. Depending on the classroom software, connection and audio troubles can interfere as the number of students increases. It is important, therefore, to understand the school's classroom environment and whether that environment will work for you:

* Are students in a group class at the same Japanese skill level? Some schools have a level test, while other schools allow students to take classes at any level. Watch out in the latter case--you might wind up with a classmate poorly matched to your skill level.

* What happens if one student takes up more than his fair share of time in the group lesson? Teachers work to ensure that each student has an opportunity to interact during the lesson, but a long-winded student can take up valuable lesson time.

* Can I get a refund if another student causes sound or connection problems during a group lesson? Most online Japanese schools have a policy of no refunds, but check if they make an exception when the problem was caused by another student's connection.

* Do my classmates change with every group lesson, or is the class on a fixed schedule?

* Are students allowed to ask questions of the teacher after a group class? If you were in a regular classroom, you'd probably hang around after class and get your questions answered. In an online setting, you could do the same, or ask your questions later through email. However, two factors might make it more difficult to talk to your teacher after class: (1) if the school has shared classrooms, the teacher may need to vacate the classroom promptly when the class ends, and (2) the school may not allow students to email teachers directly. Some schools strictly disallow direct communication between students and teachers--ask about the school's policy upfront.

When will my lesson tickets expire? Most students forget to consider this question until it's too late. Expiration dates and policies vary among online Japanese schools. Expiration terms vary from one month to one year. In case you have lesson tickets that have expired or are nearly expired, some schools require you to buy more lesson tickets to use the expired tickets, while other schools offer lower-cost extensions in the original tickets' expiration date.

Can you try an online Japanese lesson before committing to a purchase? Yes, at most online Japanese schools, but the trial lesson is not necessarily free. Some schools do not advertise their free trial lessons, so be sure to ask.

Is my Japanese teacher trained? Check a teacher's certification and previous teaching experience. Also ask whether your teacher is trained to teach Japanese online using the school's classroom and software.

How much is my Japanese teacher paid--that is, how much of your tuition goes to your teacher? Many students are reluctant to ask this question, but the fact is that teacher pay goes to the heart of the online learning experience. Most online Japanese schools keep 40% to 70% of lesson tuition, meaning your teacher earns about $3 to $5 for a group lesson and $12 to $15 for a private lesson. Even if a school won't answer the question directly, they should be willing to give you a concrete idea of their compensation plan. It is your money after all, and you have a right to know how efficiently your tuition dollars are being used.

Armed with answers to these questions, you can reliably choose the online Japanese school that will help you succeed in learning Japanese.