Collaboration is at the heart of the academic enterprise; proposals for systems such as the National Science Foundation's “National Collaboratory”; or Apple Computer's “Knowledge Navigator”; seek to support these collaborative efforts by means of a variety of computing technologies. We examine the assumptions of the model of collaborative work behind such proposals and suggest ways to extend that model. We draw on a case study of collaborative efforts in classical scholarship in order to explore more fully the existing modalities of academic collaboration as it actually occurs. The development of a broader understanding of collaborative activities will enable us to address more effectively the challenge of constructing systems to support collaborative work.