Through researcher reflexivity (Hauerwas et al., 2021), this presentation will explore the integration of virtual tools in linguistic landscape research methods. Using videoconferencing software to conduct interviews based on the “tourist guide technique” (Szabó, 2015) is innovative as it allows researchers to conduct research from any location. This offers flexibility not only for the researcher but more importantly for the participants who can more easily participate in research studies. It also eliminates the costs related to transportation and renders remote communities more accessible, promoting inclusion and diversity among participants and data. However, are ordinary interview data altered by this innovative research method? Are sociolinguistic data as rich as they would be if the researcher had conducted the research on site? While conducting research with virtual tools may seem advantageous, the use of these tools can also add unpredictability to data collection due to the quality of the internet connection or problems with accessibility. These positions will be critically examined and supported by preliminary findings from a Schoolscape study conducted in 30 Canadian French immersion schools in rural locations across the province of Manitoba in 2022-2023. 20 participants conducted a virtual interview and gave a virtual tour of their school while 10 did so in-person. Data comprised of interview transcripts and images of the visible written language (Gorter, 2013) on the school walls obtained through photography or the use of screen shots. This presentation will present findings that compare the quality of the data collected in both types of interviews by using descriptive statistics and discourse analysis. A critical reflexive analysis of the methods will help researchers determine whether the innovative use of virtual tools outweighs the ordinary in sociolinguistic research.