My wife had to do the defensive driving course recently. She went online for the course. It was like $25 for about 8 hours of instruction. After she passed the test, they mailed her the certificate. I just did a google search for texas defensive driving online, and received 10.3MM hits in 0.63 seconds.
The Texas LTC course could easily go that way but the DPS is going to have to control the content. They will have to make sure that each approved course gets updated every time the legislature makes a change. It could work fine, if it's managed well. Or it could be a disaster. Of course, course if HB1911 is passed then people don't need the training in order to be able to carry a gun in Texas, anywhere that an LTC can.
If this can substantially decrease the cost of obtaining an LTC then it's worth doing, especially if we get HB1911 because we want as many people to do the training as we can get. However, if it's going to cost $30+ to do the online course and another $40 so that the range instructor can pay the range and still make a little money, then it won't make any difference anyway. If we can get the LTC fees reduced to $40 and the training reduced to $40, then after fingerprints, etc. you're out less than $100 to get an LTC, and more people might get it even if they can carry without.