An increasingly popular topic of discussion relating to higher education learning methodology is online learning, particularly online collaborative learning (Resta and Laferrière, 2007). With the emergence of 'Web 2.0' there are currently a multitude of CSCW (Computer-Supported Cooperative Work) tools available which facilitate such work strategies. There is however dispute surrounding the effectiveness of such methods and the level of adoption by the student population. One particular field in which group working and group based projects feature extensively is the design industry. It could be expected therefore that undergraduate design students in particular, being considered 'digital natives', would be utilising the available online collaborative work tools to their full potential. Whilst it is safe to assume that some level of online collaborative working takes place within the course of these assignments it is currently unclear to what extent these tools are utilised or what forms these tools take. Through the evaluation of data obtained from undergraduate design students at Loughborough University on the level of uptake of online collaborative work tools within the context of group projects and assignments, the aim of this paper is to provide suggestions for possible ways to improve the adoption of online collaborative work tools within undergraduate design education.