I think what i might use is we are a google based district and teaching the kids how to use the google apps and hangout might lead us to some collaboration. However for me using an education software to run our alternative program might have to monitor the students more closely so that they are not sharing answers to each other.
Interesting counterpoint. Collaboration is good sometimes, but in certain settings, not appropriate. New resources create new ways to do the "old-fashioned cheating." Makes it tougher to truly assess individual student learning.