is Distance ED part of the solution?

I teach part-time at Eastern Kentucky University, in their English/Theatre department. I teach English 101 and English 102. Two sections of 101, one of 102-I've only got an MA, so I don't get to do more. I would love to, but thems the rules. Anyway, I digress. My english 101 class reads from a book called "World of Ideas" by Lee A. Jacobus. In it, there are selections from all the great minds-Machiavelli, Plato's allegory of the cage, etc. We just went through a couple of discussions in a row from the unit of the book on "education." The unit includes essays from Maria Montessori, Ralph Waldo Emerson, John Dewey, Paulo Friere, and Frederick Douglass, all of whom share their thoughts and experiences with education in the United States. ALMOST ALL OF the essays call for reform, and for a move from a "deposit" form of education, a passive experience for the learner, to a learner centered model (emerson's essay is about 160 years old and he advocates that, and reform, moving away from the prussian model), where problem solving and real world skills are paramount. I look at the educational system I am a part of, and realize just how little we have done to accomplish ANY of that. It frustrates me beyond all measure. Every day I feel like I should abandon my path and strike off on my own, design my own model school in my way, but I do not know if I would survive if I did it, so I keep perpetuating the same inadequate system. I think that distance ed, and techology, used properly, has some benefits for a move toward that kind of system, but it doesn't hold all the answers either. We're not even close.