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E-learning communities are groups of people connected solely via technology. All interactions begin and occur over the Internet, through conference calls, via videoconferencing, and so forth. These communities promote virtual collaboration that's focused on addressing a specific topic, and they are supported by one or more online learning and media tools.

Blended learning communities integrate online learning and face-to-face meetings. Two core assumptions of this type of community are 1) deep personal relationships between learners create richer collaborative learning experiences and 2) relationships between learners can be strengthened through structured group interactions that employ technology before and/or after a face-to-face learning event.

For example, a leadership development program might include an ice-breaker community to provide prework and introduce participants, a face-to-face experiential workshop to help clarify and define individual development objectives, and a follow-up community that focuses on coaching and mentoring to overcome challenges as participants achieve their objectives.