Communication tools mean software or platforms to enable collaboration and interaction. 

These digital tools or online systems allow you and your students to work together, communicate, share ideas, and engage in various activities in real time, even if they are not physically present in the same location. These tools include features like messaging, video calls, file sharing, and collaborative document editing. These tools are essential as they encourage participation from all students, offer various ways to engage, and ensure equal access to materials. They support flexible, continuous interaction, whether synchronous or asynchronous, fostering an inclusive and balanced learning environment.

These communication tools are especially vital during the disputation and collation phases of the case study method. In the Disputation phase, they enable real-time interaction, allowing students to debate and share diverse perspectives, while also organizing the discussion and ensuring everyone participates, especially in larger groups. In the Collation phase, these tools help students collaborate on compiling and synthesizing findings, tracking contributions to ensure active participation from all.