Part II -- Selected Vendors of Distance Learning (DL) Components
 

A. Course Management Systems (CMS) ... also called "Learning Management Systems (LMS)"

CMS
(operating system)
Type
Typical Terms
of License
DL Customers -- selected examples
 (Offer some pure DL courses ... not just "enhanced", or "blended")
Angel
(Windows)
Proprietary, but open architecture enables users to modify the CMS

1. Per range of users

(300 licenses)

BlackBoard
(Windows, Solaris, Linux)
Proprietary

1. Per range of users



(2200 licenses)


Desire2Learn
(Windows)
Proprietary

1. Per user
2. Per FTE
3. Per total enrollment

(1000 licenses)
eCollege
(Windows)
Proprietary

1. Per student

 

(275 licenses)


WebCT
(Windows, Solaris, Linux)
Proprietary

1. Per range of FTE's

(1800 licenses)
       
Moodle
(Linux/Unix/Aix, MacOS, Windows)
Open Source

GPL (GNU General Public License)

(8000 sites in
146 countries)
Sakai
(Linux/Unix/Aix, MacOS, Windows)
Open Source

Educational Community License

(80 members)



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B. CMS + Courses

CMS
Catalogs
Conversion/Migration
Support Services
Content provided by ... "cartridges"

Migration = YES
Conversion to online by

SCORM v1.2 Compliance
(import, export and play)

1. Host courses on Angel servers

2. Train faculty and CMS admins

3. Help Desk for faculty, student, and CMS admins

4. CMS provides repository of reusable learning objects

Content provided by ... "cartridges"

Migration = NO
Conversion to online by

SCORM v1.2 Compliance
(import, export and play)

1. Host courses on BB servers

2. Train faculty and CMS admins

3. Help Desk for faculty, student, and CMS admins

4. CMS provides repository of reusable learning objects

Content provided by

Migration = YES
Conversion = YES

SCORM 2004 certification

 1. Host courses on D2L servers

2. Train faculty and CMS admins

3. Help Desk for faculty, student, and CMS admins

4. CMS provides repository of reusable learning objects
Content provided by

Migration = YES
Conversion = YES

SCORM v1.2 Compliance
(import, export and play)

 1. Host courses on eCollege servers

2. Train faculty and CMS admins

3. Help Desk for faculty, student, and CMS admins

4. CMS provides repository of reusable learning objects
Content provided by

Migration = YES
Conversion to online by

SCORM v1.2 Compliance
(import, export and play)

 1. Host courses on WebCT servers

2. Train faculty and CMS admins

3. Help Desk for faculty, student, and CMS admins 

4. CMS provides repository of reusable learning objects
   
 
  
"Cartridges" are under development
Conversion & migration by
Support services provided by
"Cartridges" are under development
Conversion & migration by

Support services provided by

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C. CMS + Courses + Instructors

Vendor
CMS
Catalog
Provide
Instructors
Typical Fees
DL Customers
-- selected examples
WebCT
 paralegal certification
YES
 Tuition mutually negotiated with college; fee paid to CLS


ed2go
(Thompson Learning  subsidiary)
Propietary
Over 300 courses in broad range of subjects
YES
 Tuition set by college; fixed fee per-student paid to ed2go



...plus a large % of all U.S. community colleges
Propietary ... can integrate with other CMS 2600 courses in wide range of technology, business and compliance subjects
YES
for some courses; others are self-paced ... instructors contacted via moderated threaded message boards
 Content is sold on a subscription basis ... site license pricing for higher education institutions
Propietary
 American Management Association certifications; Six Sigma certification
Courses are self-paced, so no instructors; questions by email are answered by subject matter experts
Tuition set by college; flexstudy.com gets fixed fee per student per 10 hour course
Proprietary
 50+ programs that prepare students for national certification exams, including Paralegal, Medical Billing and Coding, Web Design, IT, and MCSE
YES
... instructors contacted by phone and email
Tuition set by college; fixed fee per-student paid to GES ... GES offers financial aid to students

Proprietary
 650 courses including workforce certificate programs
YES
for some coures; other courses are self-paced ... instructors contacted by email
 Tuition set by college; JER offers courses at wholesale pricing; revenue is shared .... JER offers financial aid to students
Proprietary
 Degree courses and certification programs
YES
... instructors contacted via discussion board and chat
Tuition set by college; MindEdge fee = negotiated percent of tuition

CMS derived from "Moodle"
 Computer technology, professional development, personal development
YES
 Tuition set by college
Reed's fee = $59 for 8 hour course; $79 for 16 hour course; $128 for 32 hour course
© 2005 -- Digital Learning Lab (DLL)