2002 guide to e-learning vendors.

100-plus companies you need to know now

CISCO SYSTEMS CEO JOHN CHAMBERS ONCE SAID THAT E-LEARNING "will serve as one of the great equalizers. It will change the way we work, live, play, and learn." While we may not have reached that stage yet, there is little doubt that e-learning has established itself as a force to be reckoned with in higher education. Even after thousands of "dot-coms" became "not-coms" in the last two years, e-learning companies survived. Some even prospered as colleges and universities, beset by budget woes, began exploring cost-effective ways to reach more students. But the e-learning market is a confusing one. That's why we're pleased to offer the 2002 Guide to e-Learning Vendors--those firms that design courseware, produce software, and provide marketing, delivery, and support services. Our user-friendly icons can help you quickly find the vendors you need, while the glossary on page 37 is helpful (especially if you don't know your ASP from your elbow).

a key to the icons

[hosting]
[electronic library/publisher]
[instructional design]
[administrative information/management system]
[portal]
[course aggregator]
[learning management/authoring tool]
[services]

The directory lists more than 100 companies providing e-learning services. We cannot claim that the guide is all-inclusive, and it does not include a number of OEMs, large software makers, end others for whom e-learning is not a primary focus. Inclusion should not be construed as endorsement. In-formation was provided by the companies end was not independently verified. Please send any comments, corrections, or additions to editorial@ universitybusiness.com.

3GB GROUP
1750 North Research Park Way, Suite 104
North Logan, UT 84341
T 435/797-4674
WWW.3GB.com

[learning management/authoring tool]
[services]
[hosting]
[instructional design]

3GB's Syllabase platform provides a scalable infrastructure for posting text and media files, Web links, assessments, sharing files, etc. Company states that this spring it is launching a new database-driven intranet system based on ASP model, plus a new product called Magic Box; a more flexible course platform. Services offered include instructional design, IT consultation, hosting, installation, integration, tech support.

ACADEMIC SYSTEMS CORP
444 Castro Street, Suite 1100
Mountain View, CA 94041
T 800/694-6850
F 650/694-6830
WWW.ACADEMICSYSTEMS.COM

[electronic library/publisher]
[hosting]

Academic Systems creates interactive course materials in basic subjects including writing, mathematics, business and economics, and biology and chemistry. The company--the higher education division of Lightspan--has been offering self-paced online courses in math and writing, designed to be offered either in the classroom or at a distance under the supervision of a course facilitator. More recently, Academic Systems has announced the availability of 430 learning objects to he used as supplementary course materials. Also offered: course building tools, a course management platform (in partnership with Blackboard), faculty training. The company has added support for Macintosh computers and states that its course materials can be used with a number of commercial CMSs (including Blackboard and WebCT).

ACTIVEWORLDS CORP
95 Parker Street, Newburyport, MA 01950
T 978/499-0222
F 978/499-0221
WWW.ACTIVEWORLDS.COM

[learning management/authoring tool]
[hosting]

Activeworlds provides software and online hosting for 3-D virtual worlds. The company says its software comes with a set of standard objects including buildings, animated "avatars" (online figures that stand in for users), music, etc., which fit together like Legos for the purpose of building large, complex objects and virtual environments. The software is said to be simple to use for consumers. Activeworlds, however, will custom design 3-D environments for clients. (A typical educational application might be a virtual campus tour.) The company has more than 80 participants in its Active Worlds Educational Universe, some hosting classes in 3-D online classrooms. The company offers educational discounts, hosting, tech support, and training.

AKIVA
1901 Camino Vida Roble, Suite 115
Carlsbad, CA 92008
T 760/710-3200
F 760/710-3299
WWW.WEBBOARD.COM

[learning management/authoring tool]
[hosting]

Akiva, launched in mid-February and the result of a merger between LMS MindCruiser and conferencing software company ChatSpace, develops the WebBoard online message-posting product. Suited to augment campus-based instruction, WebBoard enables the creation of categorized online discussion groups for collaborative work and posting of graphics files. The company says that the software allows administrators to set up and manage an unlimited number of chat rooms and message boards, each with its own look. Users can mark discussion topics of interest and receive e-mail notices each time a discussion forum is updated. WebBoard pages may be archived online.

ALTIRIS INC
588 W. 400 S., Lindon, UT 84042
T 801/226-8500
F 801/226-8506
WWW.ALTIRIS.COM

[services]

The company specializes in products that allow IT departments to deploy, install, and maintain software over networks. It offers two products in the field of education. Education Mgmt Suite manages the installation of operating systems, applications, and updates. It also has tracking features and is Web-based. Lab Mgmt Suite permits rapid reconfiguration of individual computers in lab settings. Additional features include the ability to send on-screen messages to individual students, view student screens, and remotely lock keyboards and mice.

ANLON SYSTEMS INC
115 East Hickory Street, Suite 400
Mankato, MN 56001-3618
T 888/865-4793
F 507/388-2649
WWW.ANLON.COM

[learning management/authoring tool]
[services]

Anlon develops and sells an LMS/CMS called Anlon 4.0 (formerly known as IntraKal) that the company compares to Blackboard 5.0. Features include modules to manage course registration and e-commerce. The system is designed to be integrated with campus ERP, and is a database-driven system, so it can store learning objects. Available in ASP form through Agility, or installed on school server. A new feature allows content to be formatted for download to a handheld device. Academic clients include the State College and University System of Minnesota and Maricopa Community College.

APOLLO GROUP-INSTITUTE FOR
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
4605 East Elwood Street, Phoenix, AZ 85040
T 480/966-7982
F 480/966-9429
WWW.IPD.ORG

[services]

The Apollo Group is the parent company of the University of Phoenix. Its Institute for Professional Development, established in 1973, assists private small to medium-sized accredited colleges and universities in providing specially designed programs for working adults. The Apollo Group's many services include program promotion, student recruitment, operational and financial systems, financial resources, program administration, management consultation and training, assessment services, and marketing and academic research services.

APPLIED COMPUTER
SYSTEMS INC
3000 Johnstown Utica Road
Johnstown, OH 43031-9394
T 740/892-2100
F 740-892-4838
WWW.ACS-LINKSYSTEMS.COM

[learning management/authoring tool]

ACS provides video and audio networking solutions for computerized classrooms and laboratories. The company's products allow an instructor to control student terminals; "blank" one or more screens; project VCR, TV, CD-ROM, or other input to student screens; project a selected student's screen to all screens; monitor student work and applications use; etc.

APPLYYOURSELF INC
11781 Lee Jackson Highway, Suite 200
FairFax, VA 22033
T 800/526-3313
F 703/279-7958
WWW.APPLYYOURSELF.COM

[services]
[hosting]

ApplyYourself manages the student application process for colleges and universities. An inquiry-management module allows schools to automate e-mail responses, track Web inquiries, and produce reports. The admissions module permits a school to design its own online application. The application is then hosted by ApplyYourself, and data can be exported to major student information systems. The company says that it is currently expanding its services to include hosting and managing entire school Web sites, including Web development, hosting streaming media, and managing communication tools.

AREL COMMUNICATIONS
AND SOFTWARE INC
1200 Ashwood Parkway, Suite 550
Atlanta, GA 30338
T 770/396-8105
F 770/396-1755
WWW.AREL.NET

[learning management/authoring tool]
[hosting]

This Israeli-based company provides solutions for broad-scale distribution of interactive learning and corporate communications through satellite, Web, and fiber optics. Though probably better known in the realm of corporate training, the system is used in academia as well. A recent client is Hebrew University of Jerusalem, which will use Arel products to support live and on-demand continuing education for physicians.

AVILAR TECHNOLOGIES INC
8750-g Cherry Lane, Laurel, MD 20707
T 888/873-7014
F 301/725-0980
HOME.AVILAR.COM

[learning management/authoring tool]
[services]
[hosting]
[instructional design]

Avilar is the creator of the WebMentor LMS/CMS. A free authoring product enables teachers to design courses that can be delivered online or through CD-ROM. WebMentor Enterprise provides support for registration, course delivery, student records, communications, and e-commerce. The company will integrate with ERP. WebMentor can be licensed to run on the school's server or be delivered through ASP model. The product supports delivery of courses via CD-ROM, with student performance records tracked and synchronized online, plus full student record-keeping for courses from many outside vendors. Avilar Technologies says it was the first commercial LMS to be SCORM conformant. Compatible with Ready-Go authoring tools. Additional services: portal creation, instructional design, etc. Clients include the Connecticut Distance Learning Consortium.

BITFLIP INTERACTIVE GROUP
5 West 19th Street, 9th Floor
New York, NY 10011
T 212/771-1700
WWW.BITFLIP.COM

[electronic library/publisher]

BitFlip designs interactive media. Services include Identity, strategy, content, user interface, architecture, front end, and back end. Educational clients include the Alliance for Lifelong Learning (a partnership of Oxford, Stanford, and Yale) and Kaplan.

BLACKBOARD INC
1111 19th Street. NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
T 202/463-4860
F 202/463-4863
WWW.BLACKBOARD.COM

[portal]
[learning management/authoring tool]
[services]

Blackboard, a major supplier of course management for higher education, offers three related products: an LMS, a portal, and a transaction system. The company offers: integration of its products with campus ERP, teacher training, hosting. Blackboard supports Windows, Solaris, Linux, and HP Unix, and it can use Oracle 8i as its database. The company's latest release, Blackboard 5.5, offers a number of new features including: improved accessibility for handicapped students, building-block architecture, the ability to create sequential. learning paths, course cartridges containing published materials in dozens of disciplines, and expanded enterprise capabilities. Extensive client base in higher education and industry.

BOTTLED SOFTWARE
9840 Westpoint Drive, Suite 260
Indianapolis, IN 46256
T 317/576-1120 F 317/576-1135
WWW.BOTTLEDSOFTWARE.COM

[learning management/authoring tool]

The company's WebTwist product is a content management platform for creating and maintaining Web pages. It supports PDFs, text, sound, image, and video files. Recent Bottled Software clients include Anderson University (Anderson, IN).

CAMPUS PIPELINE
155 North 400 West, Suite 500
Salt Lake City, UT 84103
T 888/682-7473
F 801/485-6606
WWW.CAMPUSPIPELINE.COM

[portal]
[services]

Campus Pipeline got its start as a provider of advertising-supported campus Web portals. It now offers several product lines. The Web platform includes a wide array of features, including calendar, course home pages and message boards, targeted announcements, administrative services, distance learning integration, and Web page creation and hosting. The new Lumina product line adds a content management suite and an integration suite. The company says it is working with partners including Sun, iPlanet, Documentum, Dell, SCT, and the Java in Administration Special Interest Group (JA-SIG) to build a standards-based platform that will integrate automatically with other vendor software platforms and database hardware. Late last year, Campus Pipeline announced a program called the "Pillar Partner Program" in which nine of their high-profile university clients take an active role in critiquing and making suggestions for the continual development of the Campus Pipeline product. The company also offers training and consulting, and states that it has more than 125 higher-education clients.

CENQUEST
317 Southwest Adler #20, Portland, OR 97204
T 888/899-4388
WWW.CENQUEST.COM

[course aggregator]
[services]
[hosting]
[instructional design]

Using university-created content, Cenquest creates custom degree programs--mostly graduate programs in business and technology--for corporate clients. The company provides marketing, registration, etc., and manages courses in its own browser-based platform; it also offers a full range of support and delivery services to enable e-learning events, including faculty support and training, student tracking, event management, and hosting. Recent corporate clients include IBM and Microsoft. University partners include TRIUM (a partnership of New York University, the London School of Economics, and HEC Paris), Babson College, and Oregon Health and Science University. Cenquest was recently hired by NYU to Web-enable core courses in the Stern School's Langone Program, a part-time MBA program.

CENTRA SOFTWARE INC
430 Bedford Street, Lexington, MA 02420
T 781/861-7000
F 781/862-2453
WWW.CENTRA.COM

[learning management/authoring tool]
[services]
[hosting]

Centra provides software and services to support online meetings and conferences, including live audio and video. The company also provides the ability to create and manage learning objects, and to import learning objects from outside sources. Live broadcasts can be recorded and broadcast asynchronously. Features include virtual breakout rooms, testing, whiteboard, and hand raising. The company also offers hosting, training, consulting, and technical support.

CENTRINITY INC
38 Leek Crescent, Richmond Hill
Ontario Canada L4B 4N8
T 905/762-6000
F 905/762-6000
WWW.CENTRINITY.COM

[learning management/authoring tool]
[services]
[hosting]

Centrinity develops and licenses FirstClass, an integrated messaging software package that allows users to Web-enable and coordinate all communications systems under one mailbox, controlled with a single password. Messages received via e-mail, voicemail, or fax all go into one mailbox and can be checked over the phone or over the Internet. (The program permits speech to be transferred into text and vice versa). A feature called "Conferences" allows approved users to post messages on an online message board in categorized folders. Other features: group calendar and chat.

CLICK2LEARN INC
110-110th Avenue, NE, Suite 700
Bellevue, WA 98004
T 800/448-6543
F 425/637-1504
WWW.CLICK2LEARN.COM

[learning management/authoring tool]
[services]
[hosting]

Click2Learn develops CMS/LMS products. It has two basic lines. First, the Aspen Enterprise Learning Platform consisting of three modules: an LMS with skills-gap analysis and performance tracking; an open-architecture content-management platform that supports XML metadata tagging; and a portal. The Second platform, a CMS called Toolbook, comes in two versions: Instructor and Assistant, designed for users of different levels of programming skills. Assistant includes templates and is aimed at faculty with limited skills. Instructor includes tools for managing courses across campus and tracking students. The two can be used together. The company can also help in content production and creation of custom tools.

CNAV SYSTEMS INC
300 N. Washington Street, Box 390
Gettysburg, PA 17325
T 717/337-6936
F 717/337-8528
WWW.CNAVSYSTEMS.COM

[services]

CNAV sells what it calls a "smart hub"--software that connects all of a campus's databases, and permits them to talk to each other. The system grew out of a project by the IT department of Pennsylvania's Gettysburg College and uses proprietary code that is shared with customers. After a detailed implementation process, CNAV can Web-enable a full range of data: inventory tracking, time sheets, grades, course, evaluations, etc. CNAV Systems says it has data sockets to integrate with Peoplesoft, BSR Advance C/S, AIMS, Ress, and Wineamacs ERP systems and that it can develop custom data sockets as needed.

COGNITIVE ARTS
1840 Oak Ave., Suite 400, Evanston, IL 60201
T 847/425-8500
F 847/425-8510
WWW.COGNITIVEARTS.COM

[services]
[hosting]
[instructional design]

This instructional design company, which grew out of Northwestern University's Institute for the Learning Sciences, has taken to calling itself an e-learning strategist and general contractor. Cognitive Arts offers project management, consulting, learning design, technology planning and selection, user support, hosting, and ongoing maintenance for clients wishing to develop e-learning. The company has a course management/learning management system, which can handle enrollments and e-commerce. ASP service and tech support are available. Cognitive Arts offers training, including a certificate program in learning design and tech design, and will provide online facilitators or tutors for clients. Current customers include Harvard Business School Online, Columbia University, and INSEAD.

COLLEGENET
805 SW Broadway, Suite 1600
Portland, OR 97205
T 503/973-5200
F 503/973-5252
WWW.CORP.COLLEGENET.COM

[services]

CollegeNet provides software and online services in three areas: academic and event scheduling; Internet admissions; and campus-wide forms commerce. The company's Web-based forms can be used for admissions, alumni giving, financial aid, campus parking permits, etc. CollegeNet custom builds an online application for each of its clients. Any range of related information can be packaged with the application form, including video/audio files with introductory/ recruitment information. Potential students can search for schools on the CollegeNet Web site by name, type of degree, major, etc. The company also maintains a recruitment service for students who pay a fee to provide info about themselves to a database accessible to CollegeNet clients for recruitment purposes. The company serves more than 800 higher-education clients.

COLLEGISEDUPRISE
COLLEGIS (SEE EDUPRISE)
2300 Maitland Center Parkway, Suite 340
Maitland, FL 32751
T 800/800-1874
F 407/660-8008

COMPASS KNOWLEDGE
HOLDINGS INC
2710 Rew Circle, Suite 100
Ocoee, FL 34761
T 407/573-2000
F 407/656-7585
WWW.COMPASSKNOWLEDGE.COM

[course aggregator]
[services]
[hosting]
[instructional design]

Compass Knowledge is a courseware designer and ASP, producing graduate and undergraduate degree and certificate programs targeted at working professionals in Health, Law, and Education. (The company's pharmacy program, offered in conjunction with the University of Florida, is said to be the largest of its kind in the United States.) Content is generated by universities, which also provide instructors, and grant degrees. Compass Knowledge creates courseware, markets it through its Web site, and provides registration, tuition handling, student tracking, and hosting.

CONNECTED LEARNING
NETWORK INC
323 West Broadway, Suite 400
Louisville, KY 40202
T 800/569-6505
F 502/583-0092
WWW.CONNECTEDLEARNING.NET

[services]
[hosting]
[instructional sign]

Connected Learning Network creates customized courses and modules for corporations, schools, colleges, associations, and government agencies. It provides software, Web design, instructional design, and training of faculty and staff to Web-enable traditional courses, certificate programs, and degree programs. Connected learning uses Intralearn course creation software.

CONVENE
595 Market Street, 12th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94105
T 888/286-8363
F 415/782-0525
WWW.CONVENE.COM

[portal]
[learning management/authoring tool]
[services]
[hosting]
[instructional design]

Convene has offered a learning platform since 1993. In 2000, it acquired Izio, and reengineered its existing products into IzioPro, a system for managing collaborative learning. The company's latest software release incorporates batch e-mail, document sharing, tracking, and assessment that scales to tens of thousands of simultaneous users. A new virtual help desk is also included. Services include instructional design, hosting, teacher training and consulting on online strategy, and systems integration. Academic clients include Stanford's Haas School of Business, National College of Ireland, and Kennesaw State University.

COURSESHARE.COM
Indiana University Research Park
501 N. Morton Street, Suite 213
Bloomington, IN 47404-3730
T 812/855-2282
F 812/855-4506
WWW.COURSESHARE.COM

[services]

Founded by faculty of Indiana University, Courseshare offers research, assessment, consulting, training, and tool development services for online learning. Courseshare aims to provide an online forum through which faculty can share pedagogical tools, content, and other e-learning associated information. The company also designs, tests, evaluates, and licenses new e-learning tools. Products (some not yet released) include online surveys, electronic portfolios, personal profiles, case-based learning systems, information sharing tools, and electronic discussion forums.

CROSSTEC CORPORATION
500 NE Spanish River Boulevard, Suite 201
Boca Raton, FL 33431
T 561/391-6560
F 561/391-5820
WWW.NETOPUSA.COM

[learning management/authoring tool]

CrossTec, developed for in-class or remote instruction, allows the teacher's screen to be broadcast to all student screens, and manages communications to allow discussion groups, instant messaging, and private teacher-student communication. Features include lockout of applications on student machines, and ability to broadcast over WAN or over the Internet.

CYBERLEARNINGLABS.COM
PO Box 78435
Indianapolis, IN 46278-0435
T 317/860-3810
F 317/860-3810
WWW.CYBERLEARNINGLABS.COM

[learning management/authoring tool]
[services]
[hosting]
[instructional design]

Cyberlearning Labs markets Angel, a CMS and portal originally developed for use by the Indiana University system. The template-based system is designed for easy use by faculty; it includes communications tools, test capability with instant feedback, gradebook, and extensive assessment features. New features: Collaboration tools to let students set up online study groups and share calendars and files, plus ability to synchronize e-mail with Palm-based handhelds.

CYBERU
3250 Ocean Park Boulevard, Suite 150
Santa Monica, CA 90405
T 310/581-2005
F 310/581-2007
WWW.CYBERU.COM

[course aggregator]
[services]
[hosting]

CyberU is an aggregator and distributor of courses in the liberal arts, sciences, and professional fields created by colleges, universities, and for-profit educational companies. The company's current catalog includes 30,000 courses, 90 percent of which are from colleges or universities. CyberU acts as a clearinghouse for online courses, and provides hosting, registration, and tuition collection. The company's emphasis is on the corporate market, but it continues to market directly to consumers.

DIVACE LEARNING
SOLUTIONS LTD
P.O. Box 41
20741 Turku
Finland
T [phone]
F [phone]
WWW.DIVACE.COM

[learning management/authoring tool]

Formerly known as Teleste Educational, Divace develops digital language labs, classroom systems, and software solutions for storage and access of multimedia files. U.S. clients include UCLA, California State University, and East Carolina University.

DATATEL INC
4375 Fair Lakes Court
Fairfax, VA 22033
T 703/968-9000
F 703/968-4573
WWW.DATATEL.COM

[administrative information/management system]

Datatel's ERP system, tailored specifically for higher education, does not include any dedicated e-learning components, but the company states that it provides "infrastructure support for any IMS-compliant system." The ERP is also set up so that data entered into one database system (say, the registrar's office) can be instantly exchanged with another data system plugged into the Datatel ERP infrastructure. Datatel maintains partnerships with both Blackboard and WebCT.

DOCENT
2444 Charleston Road
Mountain View, CA 94043-1622
T 650/934-9500
F 550/962-941
WWW.DOCENT.COM

[learning management/authoring tool]
[services]
[hosting]

Building upon skills-gap assessment software it created in the late 1980s, Docent develops and sells an object-oriented, database-driven learning management system. Although the company works mainly with the corporate training market, it made some forays into the academic market late last year through a partnership with LMS/CMS provider Prometheus, and another with NYUonline (to gain access to the school's authoring tool)--but NYUonline closed, and Prometheus was acquired by Blackboard. Current academic clients include the University of Phoenix and Harvard Business Online Enterprise Solutions.

EBRARY
360 N. Bernardo Avenue
Mountain View, CA 94043
T 550/230-0700
F 650/230-0881
WWW.EBRARY.COM

[electronic library/publisher]

Ebrary licenses books and journals from major publishers, and distributes them on the Web to libraries, corporation, and (under a slightly different model) directly to consumers. Holdings currently include 5,000 titles in a variety of subject areas such as language and literature, social science, medicine, history, science and technology, and philosophy from more than 100 publishers. Ebrary's system includes search capabilities and user tools such as note-taking and personal bookshelf. Printing is available at a fee. Ebrary also supports distribution of school content through its system, and distribution of electronic coursepacks through a partner.

ECOLLEGE.COM
10200A East Girard Avenue
Denver, CO 80231
T 888/884-7325
WWW.ECOLLEGE.COM

[portal]
[learning management/authoring tool]
[services]
[hosting]

eCollage is a software and services company. Its LMS and portal products offer a wide variety of features for both online instruction and blended environments. New this year: ClassLive, a synchronous teaching tool designed to let faculty conduct office hours, tutoring, and lectures online. Included are archiving, graphing, chat, polling, hand raising and application sharing, plus math/science/ accounting whiteboard capabilities. Other features: student tracking, skills-gap analysis, online surveys, secure testing. The company states that its product complies with Section 508 of the U.S. Federal Accessibility Standard for electronic and information technology.

EDUCATIONAL VIDEO
CONFERENCING
35 East Grassy Sprain Road, Suite 200
Yonkers, NY 10710
T 914/787-3500
F 914/395-3558
WWW.EVCINC.COM

[course aggregator]
[hosting]

The company has shifted its business and now is primarily involved in owning and operating for-profit universities and training programs. Its original business-aggregating video-based educational content for delivery to corporations and academic institutions continues, but in scaled-back Form.

EDUPRISE (SEE ALSO COLLEGIS)
2000 Perimeter Park Drive, Suite 160
Morrisville, NC 27560
T 919/376-1339
F 919/462-6450
WWW.COLLEGISEDUPRISE.COM

[services]
[hosting]
[instructional design]

Collegis and Eduprise merged in August 2001, though the two companies continue to maintain separate offices. Collegis serves as an IT outsourcer, offering hosting, tech support, installation and integration of hardware, staffing, training. Eduprise helps schools implement online course management, from consulting through course delivery. Services include hosting For both online courses and administrative portal platforms, course conversion (i.e., digitizing information), course design, and training on course tools and best practices. Tech support for faculty and students is also available.

EKNOWLEDGE INC
1520 West Sixth Street, Suite 101
Corona, CA 92882
T 800/980-8569
WWW.EKNOWLEDGE.COM

[instructional design]

Eknowledge converts existing courses or training programs for delivery in video form, either on CD-ROM or over the Web. The company also markets its own training programs in the areas of human resources, safety, and government.

EKTRON INC
5 Northern Boulevard, Bldg. 6
Amherst, NH 03031
T 603/594-0249
F 603/594-0258
WWW.EKTRON.COM

[learning management/authoring tool]
[services]

Ektron provides law-cost tools for Web content management, including editing, authoring, and publishing. The products support XML metadata tagging. The editing tools support multiple languages and character types, including Chinese. The company also offers Web development, installation, and integration services. Ektron's higher education clients include Duke University, Pace University, Johns Hopkins University, and Purdue University.

ELEMENT K
500 Canal View Boulevard, Rochester, NY 14623
T 716/240-7500
F 716/240-7760
WWW.ELEMENTK.COM

[course aggregator]
[learning management/authoring tool]
[services]
[instructional design]

In its 20-year history, the company has been known as SmartPlanet.com, Ziff-Davis University, LearnItOnline.com, and Logical Operations. Element K offers a Full-featured learning management system, and an extensive catalog of courseware in using desktop applications, Internet design and media, and IT certifications. Also offers face-to-face training, newsletters, and other publications in information technology. Higher education clients include the Boston Consortium, Florida Community College Distance Learning Consortium, Johns Hopkins University, Virginia Tech, and Mercer County Community College.

ELEARNERS.COM
PO Box 1153
Hoboken, NJ 07030
T 201/222-3741
F 201/222-0848
WWW.ELEARNERS.COM

[course aggregator]

e-Learners is a clearinghouse, linking students to online courses and programs (mainly in higher ed but also including K-12 and other content producers). In business since August 1999, the company markets mostly to a consumer audience and makes its money through banner ads, premium listings, etc.

EMBANET
1051 McNicoll Avenue
Toronto, ON M1W 3W6 Canada
T 800/572-7558
F 416/494-1891
WWW.EMBANET.COM

[services]
[hosting]
[instructional design]

Embanet helps its clients put content into a Web-ready format, using software created by its partners (including Blackboard, WebCt, Centrinity, and others). Services offered include course development, instructional design, project management, instructor training, hosting, help desk, etc. The company states that it has close to 400 clients in higher education and has served more than one million students.

EMBARK
111 Townsend Street
San Francisco, CA 94107
T 415/615-1500
F 415/615-1701
WWW.EMBARK.COM

[services]

Embark, which provides Web-based student recruiting and applications-processing services, has been purchased by The Princeton Review. The Embark Web site will continue to operate until fall 2002, at which point, it will be moved to www.review.com.

EPAZZ INC
474 N. Lake Shore Drive, Suite 5501
Chicago, IL 80611
T 312/245-0699
F 312/896-5922
WWW.EPAZZ.NET

[portal]
[learning management/authoring tool]

At press time, Epazz had just officially launched. The company provides a portal with course management features. It is said to integrate with 200 different LMS, ERP, and content-creation platforms.

ESOCRATES
905 Harrison Street, Suite 120
Allentown, PA 18103
T 800/469-0684
WWW.ESOCRATES.COM

[course aggregator]
[portal]
[learning management/authoring tool]
[hosting]
[instructional design]

eSocrates, like its most direct competitor, eCollege, offers hosted software and services For creating a campus-wide or smaller-scale e-learning program that accommodates both campus-based and distance students. Proprietary LMS provides: syllabus, posting of multimedia files, communication tools, polling tools, student tracking and registration, electronic and tuition payment. In the past year, the company has greatly expanded its activities in the corporate market, to a point where corporate clients now make up half of the sales. To take advantage of the change, eSocrates has begun helping its higher ed clients to market courses to eSocrates corporate clients. Additional services: instructional design, Web site development, integration, faculty training.

EWEBUNIVERSITY
1735 North First Street, Suite 302
San Jose, CA 95112
T 408/441-2730
F 408/441-7840
WWW.EWEBUNIVERSITY.COM

[administrative information/management system]
[portal]
[course aggregator]
[learning management/authoring tool]
[electronic library/publisher]
[hosting]
[instructional design]

The company's software platform, content library, content creation tools, and knowledge management systems are built for ease of use, say spokespeople, as well as rapid deployment within legacy systems or on a stand-alone basis. eWebUniversity provides higher education institutions with plug-and-play modules designed to create virtual campus communities that include a branded front-end portal, as well as online registration and payment capabilities. Clients include San Jose State University, and California State Universities at Cat Poly, San Luis Obispo and Dominguez Hills.

EXSTREAM SOLUTIONS
770 Broadway, Second Floor
New York, NY 10003
T 646/495-6300
F 646/495-6299
WWW.EXSTREAMSOLUTIONS.COM

[learning management/authoring tool]
[services]

Exstream offers a platform for the delivery of live and on-demand content, with a focus on streaming multimedia. The company's CNS provides tools for assembling multimedia files into courses, and for broadcasting live video. Its LMS provides campus-wide management of courses including registration, tracking, administration; content authoring tools; digital rights management.

FATHOM
330 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10001
T 877/731-6941
WWW.FATHOM.COM

[course aggregator]
[hosting]

Founded by Columbia University, Fathom is an online course aggregator and distributor, serving lifelong learners, professionals, and for-credit students. Content consists of online courses and seminars from Fathom's member institutions and others, plus lectures, interviews, articles, performances, and exhibits by faculty, researchers and curators from member institutions (a group that includes the British Museum, the American Film Institute, the University of Chicago, and the University of Michigan, among others). Nonmember content partners include the UCLA Extension, Michigan State University, and Virginia Tech. Fathom has been working with organizations, including AARP, to develop custom educational channels for their memberships.

FTKNOWLEDGE
1330 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10019
T 212/641-6616
F 212/641-6309
WWW.FTKNOWLEDGE.COM

[course aggregator]
[hosting]
[instructional design]

FTKnowledge, a subsidiary of U.K.-based media company Pearson, operates four basic business units specializing in business, management, and financial training for corporations. The "FT" in FTKnowledge stands for Financial Times--the leading British business publication. FTKnowledge Executive Education, one of the four units, partners with three business schools (INSEAD, the Wharton School, and the University of Michigan Business School) to produce self-paced online courses and videos for executive-level education. FTKnowledge also provides online course materials to U.S.-based virtual university Excelsior College.

FUTUREU
529 Arkansas Street
San Francisco, CA 94107
T 415/824-7726
F 415/824-2651
WWW.FUTUREU.COM

[services]

FutureU has a team of more than 50 consultants with backgrounds in business development, education, communications, and technology. The company offers a full range of consulting and training services in e-learning, including standalone courses for students, faculty, and administrators. Academic clients include Cal State U, Hayward; Interamerican U of Puerto Rico; U of Phoenix; and Merced College.

GEMINI LEARNING SYSTEMS
736 8th Avenue SW, Suite 1100
Calgary, AB T2P 1H4 Canada
T 866/499-9543
WWW.GEMINI.COM

[portal]
[learning management/authoring tool]
[services]
[hosting]
[instructional design]

Gemini Learning is an instructional design and software development company that helps clients repurpose course content into modular, asynchronous courseware, using proprietary authoring and management software. Professors can download free template-based course authoring toots. Other services: ASP hosting, development of multimedia modules, and custom portal development, installation of its software on university servers, and integration with university administrative platforms.

GLOBAL EDUCATION NETWORK
152 West 57th Street
New York, NY 10019
T 212/489-6300
F 212/489-7200
WWW.GEN.COM

[course aggregator]
[hosting]
[instructional design]

Launched by Williams College professor Mark Taylor and venture capitalist Herbert Allen, Global Education Network intends to offer high-quality distance ed courses created by faculty at leading institutions--functioning as a kind of UNext of the liberal arts. Its first three courses (Alexander the Great, Calculus, and Media) are being offered through participating colleges, community colleges, and alumni associations. Six more courses are expected to be added this year, and Global expects to begin offering courses to the general public sometime this spring.

HALF-BAKED SOFTWARE INC
PO Box 3075, STN CSC
Victoria, BE V8W 3W2 Canada
T 250/721-6500
F 250/721-6497
WWW.HALFBAKEDSOFTWARE.COM

[learning management/authoring tool]

Half-Baked Software, a company partially owned by the University of Victoria, develops and licenses two types of software. One, called Hot Potatoes, is for the creation of Web-based quizzes; the other, Quandary, is for thought exercises or "action mazes" (it was originally developed for use in philosophy courses). The company recently added some clip art for use in Quandary. Courses and assessments created with both can be uploaded into a course Web page, and Hot Potatoes assessments may be exported into a WebCT database for storage and retrieval. The company will customize or develop the features and interfaces of both products to suit customer requests. Hot Potatoes is free to not-for-profit institutions that make courses made with the software freely available on the Web.

HORIZONLIVE
520 8th Avenue, 23rd Floor
New York, NY 10018
T 212/533-1775
F 212/533-6041
WWW.HORIZONLIVE.COM

[learning management/authoring tool]
[hosting]

HorizonLive develops software for delivery of streaming audio and video and for two-way audio communication. The company states that it has more than 100 clients in higher education, most of them using two-way audio. The software has tools for online chat, whiteboard, "breakout rooms," potting, and broadcast of PowerPoint slides. The system is scalable to up to 2,000 users and integrates with Click2Learn, WebCT, and Blackboard. (The company can perform integration with other platforms.) Available on an ASP or license basis.

INFINET SOLUTIONS
1425 East Busch Parkway
Buffalo Grove, IL 60089
T 847/821-3850
WWW.INFINET-INC.COM

[services]

InfiNet provides products and services that let campuses link and Web-enable existing databases and computer systems. The company's Quikconnect simultaneously connects multiple data sources; adapters are available for many widely used mainframe/legacy systems, as well as popular ERP, SIS, and financial systems. Another product, Quikpay, provides a single platform for e-commerce, e-billing, and e-payments. The company's most recent offerings, collected under the name of Campus Web Connect, provide back-office integration, permit schools to conduct Title IV entrance and exit interviews online, and centralize non-student billing. Recent clients include the University of Illinois system, the University of Kansas, Columbia University, Southern Christian University, Ohio State University, Loyola University, University of Texas Medical Branch, and DeVry.

INTERPRETIVE SOFTWARE INC
1932 Arlington Boulevard, Suite 107
Charlottesville, VA 22903
T 434/979-0245
F 434/979-2454
WWW.INTERPRETIVE.COM

[course aggregator]
[instructional design]

Interpretive Software focuses on developing and marketing proprietary business simulations designed to be incorporated into undergraduate and graduate courses. The company will develop custom simulations for clients, but purchases copyright to any material it agrees to produce. Because simulations take as long as two years to produce, the company takes on a limited number of projects and is highly selective about clients.

INTRALEARN SOFTWARE
CORPORATION
155B Otis Street
Northboro, MA 01532
T 508/393-2277
F 508/393-6841
WWW.INTRALEARN.COM

[learning management/authoring tool]

This software company offers pre-packaged LMS and course authoring software. All sales are through resellers, service providers, and software providers and ASPs such as Embanet and Connected Learning. Authoring tools are available in template-based and non-templated versions. The IntraLearn LMS allows multiple ports to be maintained on the same server. The software is available in several languages. Recent clients include UMass-Lowell and Berklee School of Music.

JENZABAR
17 Sellers Street
Cambridge, MA 02139
T 617/492-9099
F 617/492-9081
WWW.JENZABAR.COM

[administrative information/management system]

A company representative states that Jenzabar has backed away from the portal and course management software business (though it continues to support its current portal customers). The company is now focusing on back-end administrative software.

JONESKNOWLEDGE.COM
9697 East Mineral Avenue
Englewood, CO 80112
T 888/453-5663
F 303/784-8957
WWW.JONESKNOWLEDGE.COM

[electronic library/publisher]
[portal]
[learning management/authoring tool]
[services]
[hosting]

JonesKnowledge consists of three separate businesses: 1) an online university; 2) an e-Library; and 3) Jones E-education, a scalable, hosted course management and delivery system, with applications in higher education, K-12, and corporate training. New developments this year: "rapid course development" templates. The library is now offering some resources in unbundled form rather than as a package deal And the company is making the library's popular career resources available free on the Jones International University Web site.

LEARNFRAME
12637 South 265 West #300, P0 Box 1409
Draper, UT 84020-1409
T 800/738-9800
F 801/523-8012
WWW.LEARNFRAME.COM

[learning management/authoring tool]
[services]
[hosting]

Learnframe offers a proprietary course management system designed to make it easy to manage courseware from multiple outside sources. The company is most active in the corporate training sector but has a number of academic clients, including Michigan Virtual University.

LOTUS SOFTWARE
IBM Software Group
One Rogers Street
Cambridge, MA 02142
T 617/577-8500
WWW.LOTUS.COM

[learning management/authoring tool]

IBM's Lotus--one of the earliest players in e-Learning--developed a learning management system it calls LearningSpace. This scalable system consists of an open platform that allows faculty to assemble multimedia files and text, to create course modules. It includes student tracking and reporting features as well as e-mail, chat, and discussion forums. According to the company, Lotus 5.0 (its most recent version) includes tools for recording and replaying live classroom sessions, live breakout sessions, document sharing, and automatic e-mail notification. Lotus says that its platform supports content from vendors including Smartforce, Skillsoft, and NETg.

MACROMEDIA
600 Townsend Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
T 415/252-2000
F 415/626-0554
WWW.MACROMEDIA.COM

[learning management/authoring tool]

Software company Macromedia develops what may be the most widely used tools for creating reusable learning objects and graphics. The company e-learning tools include Authorware (for creating objects, entering text, and creating assessments), Dreamweaver (for creating Web sites), and Flash (for creating Web graphics). Authorware includes features for student tracking and integration with other learning management systems.

MCGRAW-HILL EDUCATION
PO Box 182605, Columbus, OH 43218-2605
T 800/338-3987
F 614/759-3644
WWW.MHHE.COM/SOLUTIONS

[electronic library/publisher]
[learning management/authoring tool]

McGraw-Hill markets online electronic content to supplement its textbooks. The company has a number of electronic services. They include PageOut, a platform for delivery of McGraw-Hill electronic content, which also allows professors to post links and text, and maintain a class discussion board. Gradesummit, an assessment tool, comes with a database of questions and allows a professor to both administer online quizzes and record student progress. (Students can view their performance record in relation to rest of class.) ALEKS, an automated online math tutor, has a database of exercises, and analyzes student performance to see what material should be covered. PowerWeb, a news site, carries course-specific and timely articles updated daily. The company also maintains a coursepack service called Primis, and an e-textbook service.

MGEN INC
200 Foxborough Boulevard, Suite 400
Foxborough, MA 02035
T 508/549-0970
F 508/549-0979
WWW.MGEN.COM

[portal]
[learning management/authoring tool]

mGen focuses on courseware development. Its main products are course and learning management platforms (including centralization of course management, communication, registration and scheduling, tuition payment, and student grades). Course management allows for delivery of asynchronous content as well as real-time streaming video. The company's new platform includes a system that acts like an info portal for the creation and delivery of internal campus announcements and outside news sources, as well as a feature that allows for moderation of online discussions.

MINDEDGE
100 Tower Office Park, Suite M
Woburn, MA 01801
T 781/937-9200
F 783/937-9077
WWW.MINDEDGE.COM

[course aggregator]
[services]

MindEdge acts as a clearinghouse for higher ed courses created by universities (both for-profit and nonprofit) and education companies. The company currently plans to allow for real-time delivery of course data so that whenever course data is updated in a school database, it is automatically updated in the MindEdge database as well. End users are mostly corporations. MindEdge was awarded the contract to manage course information for eArmy University.

NETG
2nd floor, 1751 West Diehl Road
Naperville, IL 60563-9099
T 630/369-3000
WWW.NETG.COM

[electronic library/publisher]
[learning management/authoring tool]

NETg is a company that designs (pedagogically and technically) Web-based content in the areas of IT, business education, and professional soft skills. The content is marketed to both business and academia. All content is packaged as reusable, self-contained learning objects. Content and LMS are available through an ASP service, as software installed on school server, or via CD-ROM that can be distributed to students. NETg was acquired by Thomson Corporation.

NETLIBRARY
3080 Center Green Drive, Boulder, CO 80301
T 303/415-2548
WWW.NETLIBRARY.COM

[electronic library/publisher]

Electronic book distributor NetLibrary provides texts to libraries in a way that mimics the traditional paper-and-ink book business. Libraries purchase "copies" of texts in electronic form. The books, hosted on NetLibrary servers, are "owned" by the library for the duration of its contract, and can be accessed through links on the library's Web page. The company has 40,000 titles from a variety of publishers, and sells either on an individual title basis or in collections. NetLibrary was recently acquired by the Online Computer Library Center.

NEXTED
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W. #700
Washington, DC 20004
T 202/789-0368
F 202/789-7349
WWW.NEXTED.COM

[course aggregator]
[services]
[hosting]
[instructional design]

NextEd, headquartered in Hong Kong, works with private and public education institutions, corporations, professional associations, and training companies in Hong Kong, China, Malaysia, Australia, Canada, Europe, New Zealand, the UK, and the U.S. It assembles libraries of courses, mostly from western education partners, and delivers them through local partners in multiple sites in Asia, using its own proprietary infrastructure. NextEd operates on both a fee-for-service basis and as a risk-sharing partner.

NOW INTERNATIONAL
33 East 8th Ave, Suite 201
Vancouver, BC
V5T 1R5 Canada
T 604/873-9442
F 604/873-9462
WWW.NOWINTERNATIONAL.COM

[electronic library/publisher]
[learning management/authoring tool]
[instructional design]

The company licenses software for creating and delivering courses, and provides services in instructional design and course creation. Now International's "learning platform" has four components: one for assembling electronic files (audio, video, text, whiteboard) into a compressed file or module; one for recording audio and video; one for editing audio and video recordings into a complete presentation; and one for broadcasting content. The company also operates the NowCollege.com Web site, which offers LSAT prep courses, math courses, etc.

OEFFINGERS.COM
11508 Gunfight, Austin, TX 78748
T 512/669-4128
F 512/669-4128
WWW.OEFFINGERS.COM

[services]
[instructional design]

Oeffingers designs and produces courses, in addition to flash or video vignettes, simulations, togas, graphic materials, etc. It also provides teacher training and consultation on incorporating new media in instruction.

ONLINELEARNING.NET
12975 Coral Tree Place
Los Angeles, CA 90066
T 800/784-8436
F 310/301-7510
WWW.ONLINELEARNING.NET

[course aggregator]
[services]
[hosting]

Online Learning--after its acquisition by Sylvan Learning's Online Higher Education division--will continue in its original business of managing and marketing continuing and professional education courses created by higher ed institutions and others. The company will also provide technical infrastructure for Sylvan's other companies, including Canter Associates and Walden University. Additional services: hosting, tech support, and "concierge service," in which an online learning tech support person is assigned to work with students and instructors throughout a course.

OUTLOOK INTERACTIVE
4701 Jackson Street
Denver, CO 80216
T 303/336-9669
F 303/377-1801
WWW.OUTLOOKINTERACTIVE.COM

[learning management/authoring tool]
[hosting]
[instructional design]

Outlook Interactive offers instructional design and develops both instructor-led and self-paced courses. The company will handle any discipline, but currently does most of its business in IT and business courseware. Additionally, Outlook Interactive will develop multimedia objects for incorporation into full courses or for use alone. The company also will host and deliver its clients' courses, license its proprietary course management system to customers, and can distribute clients" courses through its distribution partners.

PEARSON EDUCATION
1 Lake Street
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
T 201/236-7000
WWW.PEARSONED.COM

[electronic library/publisher]
[services]
[hosting]

Pearson Education is a division of Pearson, the media company that also owns the Financial Times and Penguin publishing. It services the e-learning market through two of its divisions, Pearson Higher Education Group and NCS Pearson. The Higher Education Group offers electronic content to accompany Pearson textbooks, access to course management tools, and custom publishing services. NCS Pearson provides a number of services for the online administration of student data. These services include: online application and data processing, electronic authentication software for student loan processing, distribution of federal financial aid information, support in processing student data for grant programs, student loan processing, electronic academic transcript services, and management and reporting of student data as required by the Taxpayer Relief Act. Other services more specific to e-learning include adult education courseware for GED and ESL courses and online curriculum for basic college courses in math and science. Pearson Education also offers various online IT certification and professional licensure and certification tests and offers services for reading scannable documents.

PEOPLESOFT
4460 Hacienda Drive
Pleasanton, CA 94588
T 888/773-8277
WWW.PEOPLESOFT.COM

[administrative information/management system]
[portal]

Peoplesoft's enterprise system offers numerous features specific to higher education, including online admissions and financial aid applications, academic advisement, student financials, student demographics, donor relations, etc. New this year: a portal product, integratable with Blackboard or WebCT and including secure login, customizable home pages, controlled delivery of information such as grades, announcements, tuition information, etc.

PROMETRIC
1000 Lancaster Street
Baltimore, MD 21202
T 443/751-4800
WWW.PROMETRIC.COM

[learning management/authoring tool]
[services]
[hosting]

Prometric, now owned by Thomson Corporation, provides technology-based testing services primarily in the technology certification, professional licensing and certification, and academic markets. Services include test preparation, test results processing, consulting, and marketing. The company delivers computer versions of the GRE, the GMAT, and other exams, and administers testing programs for Johns Hopkins University, Regents College, and others. Also offers Prometric Prime, a tool for authoring, publishing, and delivering online tests.

QUESTIA MEDIA
3 Greenway Plaza, Suite 1700
Houston, TX 77046
T 713/439-0801
WWW.QUESTIA.COM

[electronic library/publisher]

Questia is a digital library, which offers access to books in the liberal arts. It markets primarily to consumers, and the service includes free full-text searching, tools for creating footnotes and bibliographies, note-taking capability, etc.

QUESTIONMARK
5 Hillandale Avenue, Stamford, CT 06902-2800
T 203/425-2400
F 203/358-3944
WWW.QUESTIONMARK.COM

[learning management/authoring tool]
[services]
[hosting]

Questionmark develops software For authoring and delivering computer-based and online tests. Version 3, released last fall, includes many new features: skills-gap analysis, meta-tagging of questions for identification based on level of difficulty, new question "wizards" for drag-and-drop creation, matching questions, likert scale questions; and the ability to incorporate Macromedia Flash functions in questions.

QUISIC
12910 Culver Boulevard, Suite A
Los Angeles, CA 90066
T 310/827-4464
F 310/823-7036
WWW.QUISIC.COM

[course aggregator]
[instructional design]

Quisic, formerly called University Access, has a business that is two-fold: it designs and markets instructor-led business education courses using content from corporations and institutions of higher learning (among their content partners is the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth). Courses are marketed B-to-B to corporations throughout the United States, for executive education. The company no longer sells courses directly into the academic market (nor does it produce courses specifically for the academic market). However, it is still marketing its back-catalog of academic courses through its distribution partners PBS Adult Learning Service, RMI Media, and FTKnowledge.

READYGO INC
918 North Rengstorff Avenue, Suite B
Mountain View, CA 94043
T 888/732-3946
F 650/960-2958
WWW.READYGO.COM

[learning management/authoring tool]

ReadyGo's Web Course Builder is a templated course authoring tool. Courses are built like PowerPoint presentations; they can be organized into chapters, and can include any kind of multimedia file that is viewable in a browser. An optional module called Server Side Testing stores student registration information and grades and can be integrated with a campus ERP. The company states that ReadyGo tools can be posted to any CMS/LMS that is IMS-, SCORM-, or AICC-compliant.

SABA
2400 Bridge Parkway
Redwood Shores, CA 94065-1166
T 877/722-2101
WWW.SABA.COM

[electronic library/publisher]
[learning management/authoring tool]
[hosting]

Saba's learning management platforms are designed to let users compile various sorts of learning objects into a single database, to assemble the objects into courses, and to deliver the courses to students. The Saba-hosted, scalable system can incorporate all types of multimedia files. The company also maintains an online library of client-created content, available for licensing by users. The company's higher education clients include St. Petersburg Community College and Singapore Institute of Management.

SCOTTISH KNOWLEDGE
1st Floor, 6-8 Wemyss Place
Edinburgh EH3 6DH, Scotland, UK
T 44(0) 131 625 2600
F 44(0) 131 625 2609
WWW.SCOTTISHKNOWLEDGE.COM

[course aggregator]

Founded by Scotland's 14 universities, Scottish Knowledge offers distance courses (both electronic and traditional) from over 30 universities and colleges in Scotland, UK, United States, and Australia. Subject areas include Business, Engineering, Environmental Science, IT, Law, Medicine, and Health

SCT
4 Country View Road
Malvern, PA 19355
T 800/223-7036
F 610/647-5930
WWW.SCT.COM

[administrative information/management system]

SCT provides Banner, an Oracle-based suite of software applications for student information, alumni development, human resources, financial aid, faculty and advisers, finance, etc. It partners with WebCT and Campus Pipeline to provide the Connected Learning Solution, a suite of products that integrates course management, portal and back office. In January, the company acquired Sallie Mae's student information systems business. It also acquired Applied Business Technologies (ABT), developer of the Microsoft-based PowerCampus student and administrative information system.

SILICON CHALK
#200 1636 West 2nd Avenue
Vancouver, British Columbia
Canada V6J 1H4
T 604/732-5660
F 604/732-5407
WWW.SILICON-CHALK.COM

[learning management/authoring tool]

Silicon Chalk's Shared Learning and Teaching Environment (SLATE) is designed for five instruction employing computers. Slate manages broadcast of materials to student computers. It includes note-taking, whiteboard, quizzes, polling, messaging, hand raising and instructor control. All materials, including audio, can be recorded on student computers for later playback. SLATE is expected to ship in May.

SKILLSOFT
20 Industrial Park Drive
Nashua, NH 03062
T 877/631-7405
F 603/324-3009
WWW.SKILLSOFT.COM

[electronic library/publisher]

Skillsoft markets e-learning solutions to corporate clients. It has a library of more than 1,300 courses and 12,000 learning objects, plus online access to more than 1,900 books in the fields of Business and IT. Skillsoft's materials are part of credit and noncredit programs at a number of colleges and universities. The company has articulation agreements with the University of Phoenix, Strayer University, and American Military University.

SMARTFORCE
900 Chesapeake Drive, Redwood City, CA 94063
T 650/817-5900
F 800/817-5902
WWW.SMARTFORCE.COM

[electronic library/publisher]
[learning management/authoring tool]
[services]
[hosting]
[instructional design]

Smartforce is a content and LMS developer primarily serving the corporate market. The company creates learning content in information technology; business skills; interpersonal skills;, call center; healthcare, environmental health and safety; desktop skills; and e-business. It advises clients on program strategy and implementation, and offers systems integration, customization of LMS Platform, and hosting. The company recently codeveloped a bachelor's degree program in Business Administration with Kansas State University School of Business. KSU is offering it to their own students as part of a pilot program, and some content will be offered in module form to Smartforce corporate customers.

SMARTHINKING
1819 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 810
Washington, DC 20006
T 888/430-7429
F 202/543-5589
WWW.SMARTHINKING.COM

[services]

Smarthinking provides live online tutoring in core subjects for colleges and universities, high schools, publishers, and government. Since last year, the company has added Spanish and chemistry to the list of subjects it covers (which includes Math, Statistics, Writing, Grammar, Accounting, and Economics). The company will also host schools' own tutoring programs using its online whiteboard technology.

SOFTWARE SECURE
763 Massachusetts Avenue, Suite 7
Cambridge, MA 02139
T 617/354-7464
F 617/354-7466
WWW.SOFTWARESECURE.COM

[learning management/authoring tool]
[services]

Software Secure focuses on the security side of computer-based testing. It has three products: Securexam Student lets students use Word and Excel for exams by blocking use of Web browsers and other applications for the duration of the examination. Securexam Browser allows security features to be added to online testing/ courseware tools from other vendors. Software Secure Classmate allows professors to limit student computers to using a single designated URL while locking others out.

TEGRITY
2005 Hamilton Ave., #221
San Jose, CA 95125
T 800/411-0579
F 408/369-5155
WWW.TEGRITY.COM

[learning management/authoring tool]

Tegrity develops hardware and course authoring software that enable a professor to record course content, edit it, and distribute it through streaming media or CD-ROM. The system has three parts: the "creation studio" (like a small A/V cart that professors can roll into lecture rooms; it includes equipment to record video, write on whiteboard, and add computer files), a server to store and deliver content, and a browser-based viewer. The company states that content created with its system is compatible with Blackboard and WebCT.

TELESTRAINING
Simon Fraser University at Harbour Centre
515 West Hastings St., 6th Floor
Vancouver, BC V6B 5K3
T 604/806-5156
F 604/806-5180
WWW.TELESTRAINING.COM

[learning management/authoring tool]

A spin-off of Simon Fraser University, TelesTraining develops and licenses a template-based course-authoring software package called eTrainerCB Course Builder. The company offers an eight-week online course in designing and delivering Web-based education and provides course-development services. TelesTraining authoring tools are integratable with Virtual Learning Environment's Virtual U software.

THOMSON LEARNING
Thomson Corp
PO Box 6904
Florence, KY 41022-6904
T 800/354-9706
F 800/487-8488
WWW.THOMSON.COM

[electronic library/publisher]
[learning management/authoring tool]

Educational publisher Thomson Corporation produces online content in areas such as Business and Information Technology for the continuing education industry. The company also offers a wide selection of electronic content to supplement its college textbooks. Among its numerous subsidiaries are NETg and Prometric. Additionally, Thomson Corporation offers services for custom textbook publishing. The company produces course management tools for use with its electronic materials, and took a major step into the global higher education market last year when it agreed to produce instructional materials for the virtual university Universitas 21.

TIMECRUISER
COMPUTING CORPORATION
9 Law Drive, Fairfield, NJ 07004
T 973/244-7856
F 973/244-7859
WWW.CAPUSCRUISER.COM

[postal]
[learning management/authoring tool]
[hosting]

Timecruiser's Campuscruiser portal product includes e-mail, group calendars, message boards, file transfer, course management features, etc. Company partners with Datatel, Sun, and Eduprise. Clients include Widener University, and Albertus Magnus College.

TRIVANTIS CORPORATION
311 Elm Street, Suite 200
Cincinnati, OH 45202
T 877/929-0188
F 513/929-0770
WWW.TRIVANTIS.COM

[learning management/authoring tool]
[instructional design]

Trivantis offers authoring software and course development services. Its Lectora Publisher authoring system is designed to let individual educators create and publish multimedia e-learning content directly to the Internet, intranet, or CD-ROM. It comes in versions for PCs, Palm devices, and handhelds. The company also has developed a program for creating CD-ROM and Web-based yearbooks with multimedia content.

UCOMPASS.COM
3116 Capital Circle Northeast
Tallahassee, FL 32308
T 877/932-3382
F 850/553-9252
WWW.UCOMPASS.COM

[postal]
[learning management/authoring tool]
[hosting]
[instructional design]

UCompass's course authoring and delivery product, called Educator, provides communications tools (including e-mail and instant messaging), plus content delivery and assessment tools, and front-end tools for registration and administration. The company's Wireless Educator integrates Educator Web-based courses with wireless networks such as the Palm Network, The company also provides support for use of cell-phone messaging and pagers, to deliver targeted information.

UNEXT.COM
500 Lake Cook Road, Deerfield, IL 60015-5609
T 877/405-4500
WWW.UNEXT.COM

[course aggregator]
[hosting]
[instructional design]

UNext partners with five leading institutions--Columbia Business School, Stanford University, University of Chicago Graduate School of Business, Carnegie Mellon University, and the London School of Economics and Political Science--to produce degree and training programs delivered through its Cardean University, mostly to employees of corporate clients. The company recently signed a marketing arrangement with Thomson Enterprise Learning.

VANTAGE LEARNING
113 Floral Vale Blvd, Yardley, PA 19067
T 215/579-8390
F 215/579-8391
WWW.VANTAGE.COM

[learning management/authoring tool]
[hosting]

Vantage's IntelliMetric is a system for administering and scoring open-ended essay questions over the Internet. IntelliMetric uses artificial intelligence techniques to automatically score answers, producing test results the company states rival live scorers in accuracy. Clients include the College Board, Edison Schools, Thompson Learning Company, The Secondary School Achievement Test Board (SSATB), Thinkwell, and the State of Pennsylvania. IntelliMetric can interface with other Vantage Learning tools for assessment scheduling, registration, delivery, scoring, and reporting or with applications provided by customers or third party vendors.

VBRICK SYSTEMS INC
12 Beaumont Road
Wallingford, CT 06492
T 203/265-0044
F 203/265-6750
WWW.VBRICK.COM

[learning management/authoring tool]

VBrick develops, manufactures, and supports hardware and software products that deliver real-time and on-demand, DVD-quality video and CD quality audio. It specializes in simple, low cost products that provide one way and two-way television over broadband networks for the education, government, and corporate markets. Higher ed clients include the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and the University of Connecticut's National Undersea Research Center.

VCAMPUS.COM
1850 Centennial Park Drive, Suite 200
Reston, VA 20191
T 800/915-9298
F 703/893-1905
WWW.VCAMFUS.COM

[postal]
[learning management/authoring tool]
[services]
[hosting]

VCampus is "a completely outsourced, remotely hosted and totally scalable distance education and training delivery solution," according to company spokespeople. VCampus develops and hosts e-learning Web sites using a proprietary course creation and learning management platform; trains faculty in course creation; performs instructional design and course production; and handles course registration, tuition payment, and e-commerce. The company maintains a library of 3,500 Web-based courses and sees itself as a middleman between higher education and corporate e-learning clients.

VIRTUAL LEARNING
ENVIRONMENTS INC
515 West Hastings Street, Suite 7300
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6B 5K3
T 604/268-7982
F 604/268-7977
WWW.VLEI.COM

[learning management/authoring tool]
[services]

VLEI is the developer of Virtual-U online learning software. The open-source, Web-based product provides course design, delivery, and management capabilities. Virtual-U includes conferencing, course structuring, chat, and grading tools, all of which support collaborative learning and teaching methods. Extensive online instructional guidelines and course exemplars are included. The product is currently available in English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese.

WBT SYSTEMS
Reservoir Place, 1601 Trapelo Road
Waltham, MA 02451
T 781/684-8270
F 781/684-8033
WWW, WBTSYSTEMS.COM

[learning management/authoring tool]
[services]

WBT Systems develops TopClass, an "out-of-the-box" Web-based training solution for quick deployment and ease of converting existing materials. Top Class works with market-leading applications, including learning management systems, virtual classrooms, third-party content providers, and ERP and HR systems. It complies with industry standards including XML, AICC, SCORM, and IMS. Services include training, content conversion, corporate identity customization, and course enrollment services.

WEBASSIGN
Box 8202, North Carolina State University,
Raleigh, NC 27695-8202
T 800/955-8275
F 919/515-2682
WWW.WEBASSIGN.NET

[learning management/authoring tool]
[hosting]

This homework delivery system was developed five years ago at North Carolina University, and has been offered commercially for three years. Teachers can draw questions from libraries, based on popular textbooks, or they can create their own. Questions can be randomized, so different students receive different sets of questions or questions with different numerical values. Grading and recordkeeping are automated.

WEBCT
Six Kimball Lane, Suite 310
Lynnfield, MA 01940
T 781/309-1000
F 781/309-1001
WWW.WEBCT.COM

[learning management/authoring tool]
[services]

WebCT's course management system comes in two editions, one intended for limited deployment (for example, in a single department), and an enterprise version for campus-wide deployment. The enterprise version is designed to IMS standards, is scalable to a larger number of users, and has additional security features. The company states that the product complies with section 508 of the Americans with Disabilities Act. WebCT can provide tech consulting, implementation services, and training. WebCT partners with Campus Pipeline and SCT on an integrated campus system,

WISDOMTOOLS
501 N. Morton St., Suite 102
Bloomington, IN 47404
T 812/856-4200
F 812/856-4205
WWW.WISDOMTOOLS.COM

[learning management/authoring tool]
[instructional design]

Spun off by Indiana University's Center for Excellence in Education in 1999, Wisdom Tools creates training and instructional multimedia for Fortune 1000 companies, large publishers, governmental organizations, and academic institutions. The company's products (which they call Scenarios) offer problem-based learning, case study, storytelling, role-playing, simulation, and collaborative learning. The company has also developed software for authoring scenarios.

XANEDU
300 N. Zeeb Road
Ann Arbor, MI, 48106
T 800/218-5971
WWW.XANEDU.COM

[electronic library/publisher]

XanEdu offers digital coursepacks based on the widely used database of its parent company, ProQuest. A library of existing coursepacks is available and can be used as is, or edited. Packs can also be created from scratch. The company also offers copyright clearance and publishing services for printed coursepacks, and it markets its own research engines and access to data directly to students and others.

YAHOO! EDUCATION
701 First Avenue
Sunnyvale, CA 94089
T 408/349-3300
F 408/349-3301
EDUCATION.YAHOO.COM

[learning management/authoring tool]
[hosting]

The popular online portal offers a suite of basic tools that let an individual instructor put a course online. The site lets a teacher set up an online syllabus and course description; it offers calendar, discussion boards, chat room, and polls. It also automates and organizes e-mail correspondence with students. The free service is supported by banner advertising.

glossary

We've tried to write our directory in plain English. But a handful of industry terms seem all but unavoidable. Here's a guide to a few that might be unfamiliar:

Creating and delivering an online course requires two sorts of software. Authoring software is what faculty use to put content into a form that can be read online. Template-hosed software does the same job, but automates the process by providing standard formats and guidelines. Learning management systems (also known as course management software) handle the administrative side of an online course--registration, record keeping, creation of online discussion groups, and so on. Course management so, ware can also sequence existing online materials into a course. We use the term platform to refer to a product that integrates both kinds of software.

A company that provides hosting is offering to provide space an its servers for your data. In the context of e-learning, hosting often means that your courses are running on the company's computers rather than your own. An application service provider or ASP is a sort of software host: The company installs and maintains software on its own computers and lets customers use the software from a distance.

Perhaps the slipperiest term of the moment is portal. We use it here to refer to a Web "front door" that integrates functions such as e-mail, scheduling, course registration, and customized delivery of information. The directory includes builders of portals, creators of software and templates for creating portals, and vendors of portal components.

A course aggregator can be anyone who collects courses from multiple sources and resells them. In this directory, a course aggregator refers specifically to companies that collect courses from colleges and universities and market them to nontraditional students.

Many of the companies on these pages state that they are SCORM, IMS, or AICC-compliant. That means their products adhere to standards developed by the Department of Defense's ADL group, the IMS Global Learning Consortium, or the Aviation Industry CBT Committee.