DOD Develops Standard

The U.S. Defense Department has developed a software standard that permits organizations to write and share online courses and learning material. Representing the combined efforts of government, industry and academia, the guidelines are part of a larger program that seeks to provide federal personnel with high-quality training delivered any time, anywhere.

As U.S. forces continue to deploy across the world for extended periods of time, maintaining readiness becomes a challenge. Classes can now be delivered online to bases or front line forces through satellite links or compact discs. But this option is not available to all users when they need it because of incompatible proprietary systems and software. The government is addressing this shortfall by providing educators and organizations with the means to locate, share and reuse learning materials from different sources.

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