Abstract: A method for educating a patient through a collaborative network is provided. The patient is authenticated with a username and a password. A request is received by a server for entry to a repository for educational design activities. Each of educational design activities includes exemplar design configurations and material lists and is configured to include photographs and written texts for other patients who have completed the associated educational design activity. A hypertext document is transmitted to the client computer—which includes the education design activities. The hypertext document is configured to be displayed through a browsing application on the client computer. A request is received by the server from the client computer for access to a selected education design activity, and access is provided to a design engine for the selected educational design activity. A design file created by the patient is then stored using the design engine.