Professional Community Websites
Professional Communities grow and develop in a positive manner when a good communication and knowledge sharing strategy is employed.  This can involve meetings, newsletters, emails and teleconferencing.  The addition of a web presence means that such communities can share a common knowledge storehouse and keep up-to-date with other members, without having to make a mutual time available that coincides with other members.

Who will benefit from a community website? 
The main beneficiary of such an online community is the professional organisation or local community that uses their community site as a valuable communication tool.  Many communities use their community web site like a giant project room, working together and keeping each other informed of progress and problem-solving activities, even when separated by time and distance. 

There will also be other teachers, professional groups, and even members of the public interested in your particular area of concern. Many of these will seek to share their knowledge and interest with your community, thus broadening the scope and variety of ideas and areas of influence your community will have access to.

Successful professional community examples
The following communities are a quick snapshot of how the average community uses a website to achieve desired outcomes and how community site management tools can be used:

• Disability Services Support Unit: provides information regarding the operations of the Disability Services Support Unit.
• Emerald Learning Community: a community group using their website to share professional information on syllabus development, and awareness of local issues.  The website is a good example of a community that makes a strong visual statement with a well designed home page and interesting district oriented media galleries. 
  
• LDC ICT – FND community: a sub-community of the Far Northern Districts Learning Community and is an example of a sub-community that makes use of a strong online presence in its own right.  This website is an example of good structure and colour design, page gallery maps, and an innovative use of graphics and logos.
  
• Girls and ICTs: an Educational Alliance community that is a good example of a site servicing the project and development needs of both EQ and non-EQ members.  This website is also an example of a ‘work in progress’ project site that supports and links to a main information site – Girls Into Doing Great Information Technology Society (gidgits).