Around 1985, or so, I was running the company I founded called Visage. We made laser disc systems and software used principally as interactive training systems.

One day, I received a call from Dr. Dexter Fletcher (IDA) who was working on projects for DoD/Training and Readiness.

Visage's systems were what we would call multimedia now. Back then it was called "Interactive Video." DoD was quite interested in advancing the state of the art of training (and still is), but the problem was that all of the vendors made incompatible systems. And, equipment and content development costs were very high indeed.

Dexter Fletcher (IDA)

About 1987, we began the development of "Virtual Device Interface" that would permit software and laserdiscs to run on conforming systems. Eventually, IBM, Sony, Visage and others adopted the new standard.

One of our contracts was to run the IVIA's compatibility effort with industry. We created an industry forum for the development of technical standards for multimedia. Sue and I were asked to take on the management of the IVIA, which soon changed its name to the Interactive Multimedia Association (IMA).

IMA's sponsors included Apple, IBM, Microsoft, Intel, Macromedia, Digital Equipment, Hewlett Packard, Pioneer, Sun Microsystems, Mitsubishi, and others.

Little did we know at the time that the Internet would change everything!

CBT Background

During the 80s and early 90s, the technology-based training centered largely around Computer Based Training (CBT) systems. Most CBT during that time was created using proprietary software authoring tools such as Authorware, Tool Book, and others. These products were used to create interactive courses and became quite sophisticated and multimedia-rich. CD-ROM delivery soon surpassed the laser disc in popularity.

Transition to the Web

Then came the Internet, which changed the entire CBT industry. Authoring system vendors tried to adapt their CBT tools to the Internet with initially very mixed results.

The proprietary data formats simply weren't compatible with open Internet standards. Most companies experimented with proprietary browser plug-ins, but only a few were successful.

Dexter will put in at this point that networked training systems go way back earlier than this, but that's another story -- and, of course, he's right; but I'm talking about PC-based stuff here which didn't get started until 1983 or so with the introduction of the IBM PC and the Apple II. (I was working in the music industry at the time on the precursor of the MIDI standard.)

The training industry initially resisted the Internet with some reason, but its value to reach anyone nearly anywhere, anytime won out over time (along with improvements in browser capabilities).

Industry groups such as the Aviation Industry CBT Committee (AICC) began to adapt their earlier LAN-based standards to the Internet, but the work took years and years, and continues today.

The IEEE formed the Learning Technology Standards Group(LTSC), and the IMS Project formed during 1996-1998.

In 1997, planning began within DoD and IDA to establish a new initiative aimed at accelerating the adoption of advanced distributed learning technologies.

In the fall of 1997, DoD, the White House Office of Science and Technology, the Department of Labor, and others, kicked off the ADL Initiative.

Over the next nine months, the ADL team worked up a plan of action. One of the mandates was the creation of interoperability standards. That became my focus then-forward.

Many of the first web-based "Learning Management System" (LMS) products used proprietary "middle ware" and data models to track learner performance. We found that among other things:

- Learning content couldn't be moved from one LMS environment to another;

- LMS products often couldn't integrate learning content created for other systems.

- Couldn't create searchable content or content repositories

The ADL team envisioned a new approach for Internet delivered learning where learning objects can be reusable, searchable, durable, and accessible.

We further imagined an approach that would enable customized learning experiences that match a learner's needs. Such learning experiences would be assembled "on the fly" and would adapt intelligently to the learner. Learning objects could include assessments, simulations, performance support, as well as directed learning experiences.

During 1998, and after attending many, many technical meetings, we noticed that there were a number of parallel efforts to standardize various aspects of Internet-based learning systems.

Unfortunately, these efforts were not initially coordinated and there was a great deal of confusion about where each of the work groups was headed.

In early 1999, I drafted the first version of the Sharable Content Object Reference Model as a way to integrate and "connect" work from other organizations.

ADL worked with IEEE and IMS to stabilize the metadata specification and creating an XML binding.

Later, ADL pursued an integration of AICC and IMS work resulting in the IMS's Content Packaging specifications. Each of these has since been included in SCORM.

In the latter part of 1999, Concurrent Technologies Corporation was funded by the Office of Naval Research to support the initiative. This enabled the development of test software to validate conformance with the SCORM specifications. Paul Jesukiewicz (IDA) was appointed Director of the ADL Co-Lab in Alexandria, VA. and which opened its doors in early 2001.

The ADL Co-Lab hosted its first Plugfest in June, 2000. Vendors and content developers came together to test their wares, shake out bugs, and to see if the specifications actually worked. They did!

Gradually, a new process has emerged and there is much better coordination among standards groups than in years past. ADL continues to provide a catalytic role by providing a solid test bed environment in the Co-Lab and by integrating and extending work from organizations around the world.

ADL: www.adlnet.org

AICC: www.aicc.org

IEEE: ltsc.ieee.org

IMS: www.imsglobal.org

ARIADNE: www.ariadne.eu-org