My instructor doesn't use a trainer button at all and no, he doesn't have to pass the tx back and forth, so the pass-the-box time lag isn't a problem. So he can teach anyone with any type of mode 2 transmitter who might come along.
After reading this thread and personal experience, I can understand why my instructor has had such a hard time trying to share his method with others:
http://mbz.portage.net/cgi-bin/yabb/...40010;start=30
nascarjoe