Zealous pursuit: a commercial perspective on e-Learning standards

The aims of the SCORM and IMS specifications are widely supported, with the IMS Question and Test Interoperability specification of particular interest within the CAA community. This paper suggests that, despite the widespread support, these specifications will have a large market impact, but fail to fulfil their key objectives. This is because they address a poorly-bounded problem domain and thus will remain incomplete, do not have a single creator, are too large for reliable implementation, offer little real incentive for most suppliers to make them work other than for demonstrations, and do not have an integral enforcement mechanism. It is also suggested that these standards will stifle innovation, and force small companies and individuals to pay the same price for some tools as large corporates.