Synchronous, distributed collaborative writing for policy agenda setting using Collaboratus, an Internet-based collaboration tool

Collaborative writing (CW) in policy agenda setting and grant development is an important aspect of community development. However, solutions need to be found to better deal with distributed CW. The paper establishes a basis for improving distributed CW for policy agenda setting, and similar efforts, by using an Internet-based collaborative tool. This work utilizes key research to better understand the constructs and potential outcomes of CW. Findings include that using Collaboratus for distributed CW can provide significant improvements over traditional methods, potentially benefiting those involved in distributed rural community development initiatives and similar efforts.