No, I really don't think online is the same, and in this case, the inequality means not as good. However, there are probably some exceptions. For example, you could probably gain more from a great teacher online vs. a lousy one in person. But, if you take the same great teacher and could choose between online vs. in-person, in-person is by far the better choice.
It's not just about learning style. And, I do want to point out that everything has its place. Do we need things described and do we need to read about topics? Yes. And those are their own ways of learning and we need those. But, in-person study has its own place, too, which can't be replaced!