One powerful collaboration tool is email. Email has the capability to be sent between just two people or between whole groups of people. In an email, it is possible to list questions, requirements for a test or paper, discussion topics and even entire lessons. Students can send back questions or comments on the lesson using the same email thread. Students can also send emails to the instructor or other students individually to discuss the lesson or to ask questions. Email is nearly instantaneous and easy for everyone to use because there are no special downloads or programs to receive the messages.
Many online schools employ the use of collaborative programs. These programs allow students to share information with one another. They are ideal for online classes with a technical nature, such as math classes, programming or other classes in which students must complete a specific task. The instructor for the class can create quizzes, provide lesson slides, give study questions and receive feedback all within the same program. The students can often even solve the problems using the same program. This kind of program usually requires a download or a specific web browser to use.
Shared documents are another excellent collaborative tool for online students. In a shared document, each user can make changes to the document or add text as necessary. These shared documents are ideal for group projects and out-of-class study groups. Many shared document programs are hosted through online servers, eliminating the need for a specific program or even operating system, which is helpful in the online class environment.
Virtual meetings are a way for instructors to actually speak and communicate with students, either one-on-one or in a group setting. Virtual meetings can be conducted in a chat room environment or even through audio or video conferencing. There are many different virtual meeting programs available for different needs and operating systems. The disadvantage to some virtual meetings is that students must have audio or video capabilities on their computers to access many of the conferencing tools.