BURLINGTON, Mass. - 8 July 2005 - During working sessions at alt-i-lab 2005 in Sheffield, UK, representatives of the ADL Co-Lab in Alexandria, Virginia; the Learning Technology Standards Committee of the IEEE, and the IMS Global Learning Consortium outlined the collaborative approach the three organizations will follow to update the IMS Content Packaging specification. The updated specification will be accredited as an IEEE standard and the profile of the Content Packaging specification included as a key component of SCORM 2004, which will be revised to comply with the resulting standard.

"The IMS project that is already underway will update the current release of Content Packaging and develop solutions and corrections in response to adopted best practice in SCORM and elsewhere" said Colin Smythe, Chief Specification Strategist for IMS Global Learning Consortium. Smythe described the process by which the Content Packaging is being updated as "one which will bring representatives from the ADL and other IMS members together with experts from the LTSC.

Robby Robson, chair of the IEEE Learning Technology Standards Committee (IEEE LTSC) stated that "we intend for the outcome of the IMS project to be a candidate standard that can be submitted immediately for adoption as an IEEE standard, subject to approval by an IEEE Ballot Group. It is anticipated that this approach will be used to minimize the delay in adopting other appropriate de facto learning technology standards as accredited IEEE standards." Kerry Blinco, chair of the IEEE LTSC CMI working group added that "our direct participation in the IMS project will help maintain consistency as Content Packaging moves from specification through the standardization process and into use in the field."

Paul Jesukiewicz, Director of the Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL) Co-Laboratory emphasized that "the overall goal of this collaborative process is to ensure that the de facto standards from which important components of SCORM 2004 are derived become internationally accredited standards. That status will help to reassure vendors and buyers of learning technology that they can rely on SCORM as a stable reference point on which to base acquisition decisions and product development plans."

The updated IMS specification is scheduled for completion by December 2005. IEEE balloting should be complete within four to six months of that date. Once the standard has been formally released SCORM 2004 will be revised as necessary.

About IMS

IMS is a non-profit organization supported by members of a worldwide consortium that includes 50 Contributing Members. The IMS Global Learning Consortium develops technical specifications that are made available to the public at no charge via its website (www.imsglobal.org).

About IEEE LTSC

The IEEE Learning Technology Standards Committee (LTSC) is chartered by the IEEE Computer Society Standards Activity Board to develop accredited technical standards, recommended practices, and guides for learning technology. Information about the IEEE LTSC is available at www.ieeeltsc.org.

About ADL

The ADL Initiative, supported by the U.S. Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), is a collaborative effort among government, industry and academia to establish a distributed learning environment that facilitates the interoperability of e-learning tools and course content on global scale. It sets forth a new paradigm to provide access to the highest quality education, training and performance aiding that can be tailored to individual needs and delivered cost-effectively, anywhere and anytime. For more information, please visit www.adlnet.org.

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