HTML or text can be entered as original works and commentary. The system allows each student to revise his or her writing and in so doing, it retains a revision history. Each previous version can be retrieved in order to assess the students process and development. Original writings, commentary and any multimedia materials provided by students must be approved by the student's teacher before that material becomes visible to others in the collaboration. The system associates each student with a teacher.
Collaborations can include classes in multiple schools if there is appropriate email connectivity.
Multiple collaborations can be hosted on a single server. Teachers have an expanded menu that allows them to approve student work and access administrative functions. Teachers can also edit the welcome screen and navigation bars. The inter-school collaboration is carried over email, which can traverse slow or intermittent network connections and can even be used over UUCP or Fidonet. These technological constraints allow Streams OnLine to be workable world wide.