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Correction: The website Sex, Etc. was started by Answer, a sexual education organization based at Rutgers University. On the website's forums, questions are answered by an adult sexual health expert. Incorrect information appeared in the below article.

It's hard to picture any teenaged boy raising his hand in health class and asking how to make a girl reach orgasm.

Imagine the pandemonium that would break out in a room full of ninth graders if students began asking about anal sex and penis size, or voiced their rape fantasies.

But these are the topics that young people raise on the website Sex, Etc., an online sexual education resource started by Rutgers University in New Jersey.

Traditional sex education has long been a source of squirm-inducing torture for young people, who are forced to listen as their phys. ed. teacher explains the location of fallopian tubes and who rarely get up the nerve to pose any embarrassing personal questions.

But with easy access to websites such as Sex, Etc., on which kids can ask anything, any time, are sex ed. classes still necessary?

The province of Quebec has eliminated class time for sex education, asking teachers to incorporate lessons about sexuality into other classes. Some believe this less structured approach will be beneficial to children, allowing for more organic discussions to arise.

But others say the classroom model of sex ed. is outdated and the Internet offers a better way of reaching out to young people curious about sex.

"It's just a different time, not only for sex ed. but education in general," said Vyta Senikas, associate executive vice-president of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada. "My sons are at McGill University and all of the courses are on video. My sons don't even have to go to class any more. There are many curriculums entirely online."

The SOGC's online sexual health site, sexualityandu.ca, now receives 300,000 unique visitors a month.

Dr. Senikas said the Internet provides a safe, anonymous atmosphere in which her organization can give credible information directly to young people.

"Yes, they're more open than previous generations, but still want to ask questions privately," Dr. Senikas said. "It's a medium that adolescents are extremely comfortable with and it's a limitless resource."

On Sex, Etc.'s forums, questions about pregnancy, premature ejaculation and strangely shaped penises are answered by teens who volunteer with the Rutgers program.

"It's an opportunity for teens to ask the questions they're not getting answered in their sex ed. classes or by their parents," said Rana Barar, a program manager for the site, sexetc.org, which advertises its presence on social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook.

"I think it's provided opportunities for new ways in which sex ed. can be delivered. But I don't think the old ways are necessarily obsolete."

Alex McKay of the Sex Information and Education Council of Canada believes traditional sex education still plays an important role, but says the curriculum has been suffering in schools across the country.

"By and large, the status of sex education in Canada is far from where it needs to be," he said.

The guidelines for sex education curriculum are provided by the Public Health Agency of Canada, he said, but many classes are taught by untrained teachers who are uncomfortable with the material.

"If sexual health education is to be effective, it needs to be provided by people who have some specialized training," he said. "It's not something that you can just hand over to the chemistry teacher, just as you wouldn't ask him to teach English literature."

Emily Noble, president of the Canadian Teachers Federation, thinks that Internet sites are not the solution. She says teachers may have a hard time educating young people about their bodies, but believes they have a responsibility to try.

"There does need to be a lot more time in terms of professional development," she said. "But if they're not hearing it from us, they're going to hear it out in the playground or off on the Internet where they might not be getting accurate information."

Fighting through the clutter of information online is one of the biggest challenges posed by Web-based sex education, Ms. Barar said.

And as useful as it can be for kids to log on and ask those uncomfortable questions, she said, there is no substitute for discussing important issues of sexuality face to face.

"One thing you can't do online is help kids practise the communication skills that they need to be able to negotiate safer sex or delaying sex," she said. "That kind of thing has to happen in person."