This article sets out to compare and contrast two different projects, aimed to get primary teachers collaborating online, with respect to advice from research on how to engage participants. The first project tried to encourage teachers in small rural schools to share ideas for the implementation of the National Numeracy Strategy. The second was intended to provide a platform for teachers to develop materials for the teaching of religious education in the classroom. There appears to be four "necessary ingredients" for the successful establishment of e-learning communities within practising teachers. These include: face-to-face meetings; high quality IT support; outcomes, which are of real benefit to participants; adequate funding. The outcome of the comparison is felt to add to the knowledge of how to encourage participation in online forums within a context outside those normally researched. As such it should help those trying to design similar projects in the future.