AICC Announces New Standard

The Aviation Industry CBT/eLearning Committee (AICC) announces the start of development on the first major elearning data exchange specification since 2004. This specification will greatly expand on the widely used data exchange specifications from both the AICC and the Advanced Distributed Learning Initiative’s SCORM specification, and adds the ability to integrate group learning activities, simulations and custom learner interfaces with learning management systems. The specification will supersede the existing AICC computer managed instruction specification and is scheduled for release in the first quarter of 2012. The current data exchange specification is used in the development of both elearning content and learning management systems (LMS). It defines the way the two systems communicate so elearning can be launched from and the results sent to an LMS. When it was introduced in 1993, the specification was the first effort at standardizing that data communication, allowing trainers to more easily integrate elearning courseware without custom development. The new specification is being developed in response to changes in the elearning landscape with advances in technology and adoption of different methods of content delivery. The new specification will replace the existing AICC specification which was last updated in 1998. According to AICC Computer Managed Instruction Subcommittee Chairman William A. McDonald, “Over the years, we had many requests to update our data exchange specification but held off knowing that any change would have profound results for all previously certified titles and applications, many of which had been designed for compliance with either the AICC standard or SCORM. The AICC and the ADL have tried to harmonize the two standards but when that effort stalled, we decided to move forward. That requires a completely new approach and that means a completely new data specification.” According to Ed Cohen, Chairman of the Training Infrastructure Committee of the AICC, “This is huge. This will not only supersede our own CMI (computer managed instruction) specification, but will define the way courseware and management systems communicate from here forward.” While the new specification will replace existing specifications that have been used for years, there will be consideration for re-tooling or adapting legacy courseware. Mr. Cohen commented, “We know there’s a ton of courseware out there and it would be cost-prohibitive to force authors to re-develop their titles just because of this specification. However, the LMS providers will be moving forward with adoption pretty rapidly once it’s released, so we need to develop a way to allow legacy titles to still share data while newer courseware can benefit from the expanded capabilities of the new standard.” The AICC has been helping the aviation industry (as well as many others) get the most out of training technologies since 1988. As AICC Chairman Capt. Herbert Schwarz commented, “The AICC has always created solutions for the industry that solve real problems in a very usable manner. Since we are a volunteer consortium of manufacturers, courseware authors, vendors and users, our standards reflect the best that all sides offer so that all can benefit. This new specification, although just a part of the overall elearning infrastructure, will be critical for the future and will help insure interoperability between courseware and LMSs.” Work on the specification has already begun and is being managed as a joint project between several AICC subcommittees. For more information on the specification, information on how to get involved with the development of the specification or for more information on the AICC, please visit www.aicc.org.

Universal eLearning Data Standards Meeting Announced

The Aviation Industry Computer-Based Training Committee (AICC) announces a summit meeting to discuss harmonizing Computer Managed Instruction (CMI) data models will be held on September 7th and 8th, 2010. The summit meeting will bring together representatives from the AICC, from the Advanced Distributed Learning Initiative (ADL), from the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) and the International Federation for Learning, Education, and Training Systems Interoperability (LETSI) to discuss the current state of CMI specifications and to discuss the harmonization across the different organizations. The summit meeting will be held at the ADL Hub Co-Laboratory in Alexandria, VA. The summit will, for the first time, bring together the organizations that are the most influential for standards in the eLearning industry to solve problems that have plagued developers and training organizations alike. “There have been a lot of changes in the industry over the last few years and we really need to decisively move forward on the standards issue” said Ed Cohen, Chief Technical Officer of Plateau Systems and Chairman of the AICC Training Infrastructure Subcommittee. “eLearning is no longer a novelty, it’s become the standard for courseware delivery and companies need the flexibility to mix courseware and systems from different vendors. Without a universal data standard, that flexibility is lost and the industry, as a whole, suffers.” The summit will be a two-day meeting with day one focused on working discussions of the harmonization issues and day two focused on a mix of discussions and presentations of existing standards progress and new technologies. The summit meeting will be held at the ADL Hub Co-Laboratory at 1901 N. Beauregard St., Alexandria, VA, 22311 and is free and open to the public, but pre-registration is required. The meeting will also be webcast. To view the agenda for the summit meeting and to register, visit www.aicc.org.

AICC Position Paper for SCORM 2.0

During today's meetings we discussed the AICC Position Paper on SCORM 2.0 (click the attachments tab or download link for full paper). Interested parties should visit the page and add their comments to the LETSI wiki before the October 15-17, 2008 LETSI SCORM 2.0 Workshop (sold out). A paper background and summary follows below.

As original contributors to SCORM and as representatives of a community of practice with a great volume of long-lived legacy content, the AICC has submitted this paper expressing our high level requirements for the existing model and for the evolution of SCORM going forward.

The AICC Position Paper addresses 7 major considerations for SCORM evolution:

1. Maintenance of a data model consistent with the requirements of all communities of practice, or a reliable methodology for profiling to suit the specific needs of any COP.
2. Creation of a web services based communication protocol.
3. Modification and simplification of the sequencing model.
4. Enhanced functionality for capturing assessment data.
5. Enhanced functionality for mobile computing.
6. Introduction of portfolio or portable records functionality.
7. Introduction of functionality for simulation interoperability.

ADL-AICC-LETSI Workshop February 1, 2008

The AICC will host a half-day ADL-AICC-LETSI Workshop on Content Aggregation for Core SCORM on Friday, February 1, 2008 in conjunction with the AICC meeting in San Jose, California. A wiki page providing some candidate issues for discussion is available on the LETSI wiki at: http://www.letsi.org/letsi/display/TRWG/Content+Aggregation+Workshop (site requires a no cost registration).

Interested parties are requested to submit a one page position statement in advance of the meeting. Those unable to attend in person are also welcome to submit a position statement. Please email position statements to trichards@eduworks.com and ann@aicc.org. A small meeting fee applies for non-AICC members attending the meeting and also covers participation in the general AICC meeting earlier in the week. Logistical information on the AICC meeting is available at: http://www.aicc.org/pages/aicc4.htm.

Please submit position papers and confirm your attendance plans no later than January 18, 2008 by sending email to trichards@eduworks.com and ann@aicc.org.

AICC and ADL Announce Plans for Collaboration

The ADL initiative and the AICC announced their plans to collaborate on several near-term and longer term projects. This collaboration was launched at a joint meeting during the Boeing-hosted AICC conference the week of September 24th 2007. A press release with complete details is now available from the AICC at http://www.aicc.org/pages/press-release-42.htm and the ADL at http://www.adlnet.gov/News/articles/index.aspx?ID=450.

The purpose of the collaboration is to assist the aerospace and defense learning community by providing guidelines which promote the economic and effective implementation of technology-supported learning, education, and training. Benefits for the learning community will be achieved by promoting interoperability standards that software vendors can use across multiple industries (not limited to aerospace & defense).

Both organizations have committed to collaborating with other organizations involved with various learning communities. The collaborative activities will be coordinated with LETSI – an international federation promoting Learning Education and Training Systems Interoperability.

ADL-AICC Workshop on Standards Convergence

Representatives of the organizations responsible for the dominant LMS standards specifications will meet to address critical considerations for convergence and collaboration. General implementers and vendors would likely both benefit from a common approach that leverages the expertise and resources of both ADL and the AICC.

During upcoming AICC meetings, the ADL and AICC will meet on Thursday, September 27, 2007 from 1:30pm to 4:30pm at the Boeing Training and Support Systems facility in St. Louis, Missouri to discuss possible collaboration and convergence on a future release of the Sharable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM).

Motivating the workshop are the origins of ADL SCORM in the AICC CMI specification, the gradual technical divergence of CMI and SCORM, and the anticipated benefits for both organizations, their constituents and the tremendous number of LMS adopters across the globe.

The workshop occurs in the context of ADL’s interest in progressing SCORM as an ISO/IEC standard. Both ADL and AICC are participating in the formation of a new international collaboration for Learning, Education and Training Systems interoperability (working name: LETSI). In 2008, LETSI will assume responsibility for future maintenance and evolution of the SCORM specification.

The workshop will address aspects of a possible SCORM collaboration, including: implementer requirements, technical coverage, conformance testing, funding and resource requirements, and economic benefits. Workshop participation is open, subject to normal AICC meeting participation guidelines and reasonable meeting host requirements for site access.