Can someone please tell me if the Moodle LMS is capable of the following functions: (A simple yes or no by each bullet would be helpful.)
Scheduling of "brick and mortar" classrooms
Student capable of uploading submitted work to instructors
Support for collaboration on student "group" projects
Ability to track both Web-based and live instructor-led training
LMS-based e-mail (i.e., no need to exit LMS to communicate)
Calendars available for scheduling and viewing planned events
Sharable white board available in virtual classroom
Import user profiles
SCORM content can be run "off line" results synched later with main LMS
Load historical training data from other systems
Import/export content from other LMSs
Import/export content from content repositories
Support for multiple domains (ex.: enabling single point login for use by E-different services)
Students able to self enroll in courses or Training Officer can enroll them
Mobile code issues tested and addressed
Access Control Lists
PKI this security mechanism should be supported
Content Security required
Accepts SCORM 1.1 and 1.2 content
Output content to a intranet or internet web server
Authored content exports to HTML
Direct export of content to a content repository
Authored SCORM content also runs outside the LMS
Administrators can register students
Instructors can register students
Chat Rooms available
LMS will support Threaded Discussions
LMS will support Virtual Conference Rooms
The LMS will be 508 compliant
The LMS will support skills and competency tracking
The LMS will support the ability to define skills or competencies
The LMS will allow the ability to link competencies with courses
The LMS will be capable of providing skill gap analysis
The LMS should utilize either LDAP or Microsoft Directory Services to synchronize users of the LMS with users of the OS.
Track setup requirements for classroom-based training classes (brick and mortar)
Each class created automatically creates a discussion group, announcement board
New curriculum can be added with a wizard
Direct transfer of developed content to LMS
Store content developed by 3rd party authoring tools
Output content to CD ROM
Plug-ins can be directly obtained from LMS when needed to run content
Interoperability with content that is not standards-compliant
Finding and editing existing content
Developed content can be packaged into a PIF
Finding/listing available classrooms
Scheduling classes
Support for audio
HERE IS A TRY. Others should catch my errors/omissions. 
Scheduling of "brick and mortar" classrooms
not a scheduler
Student capable of uploading submitted work to instructors
yes
Support for collaboration on student "group" projects
yes
Ability to track both Web-based and live instructor-led training
web-based, yes. Is big brother in the house for part 2? 
LMS-based e-mail (i.e., no need to exit LMS to communicate)
no. but dialogue module works instead of email.
Calendars available for scheduling and viewing planned events
in about 3 weeks, yes.
Sharable white board available in virtual classroom
no
Import user profiles
yes (limited)
SCORM content can be run "off line" results synched later with main LMS
offline assignments can be added to LMS manually or with hacks
Load historical training data from other systems
supports content from numerous filetypes
Import/export content from other LMSs
supports content from numerous filetypes. limited LMS translators.
Import/export content from content repositories
supports content from numerous filetypes
Support for multiple domains (ex.: enabling single point login for use by E-different services)
yes
Students able to self enroll in courses or Training Officer can enroll them
yes
Mobile code issues tested and addressed
?
Access Control Lists
?
PKI this security mechanism should be supported
?
Content Security required
with passwords, encryption, etc.
Accepts SCORM 1.1 and 1.2 content
reads it
Output content to a intranet or internet web server
yes
Authored content exports to HTML
yes
Direct export of content to a content repository
yes. (zip files)
Authored SCORM content also runs outside the LMS
Moodle doesn't author scorm, yet
Administrators can register students
yes
Instructors can register students
they can enroll students. students can register themselves
Chat Rooms available
yes
LMS will support Threaded Discussions
yes
LMS will support Virtual Conference Rooms
no
The LMS will be 508 compliant
not yet. see documentation/future off Moodle.org
The LMS will support skills and competency tracking
yes
The LMS will support the ability to define skills or competencies
custom scales, yes
The LMS will allow the ability to link competencies with courses
custom scales, yes
The LMS will be capable of providing skill gap analysis
no
The LMS should utilize either LDAP or Microsoft Directory Services to synchronize users of the LMS with users of the OS.
yes
Track setup requirements for classroom-based training classes (brick and mortar)
?
Each class created automatically creates a discussion group, announcement board
yes
New curriculum can be added with a wizard
not with wizards, though pedogical help files aid writing curriculum and learning curriculum
Direct transfer of developed content to LMS
yes, Moodle to Moodle content
Store content developed by 3rd party authoring tools
yes
Output content to CD ROM
zips of backups, yes, but not pdf, etc.
Plug-ins can be directly obtained from LMS when needed to run content
no, but links can be created
Interoperability with content that is not standards-compliant
probably
Finding and editing existing content
yes
Developed content can be packaged into a PIF
? PIF?
Finding/listing available classrooms
no
Scheduling classes
no
Support for audio
yes!
I might add that with the Calendar installed, scheduling is available. Brick and mortar would be analogous to "Global" site events, with Course, Group and User event scheduling also available. Hope this isn't off track for what was meant.
- Moodle is one of the best in CMS but it is NOT a LMS.
- For a LMS you better look in lists like http://www.imsproject.org/direct/searchproductaction.cfm
(look for the word enterprise in the specifications )
Gentlemen,
I appreciate your feedback. It has been most helpful. Just to expand on the items that you had question (?) marks by, here is more input:
1. Mobile Code issues: Any application that is run in the SIPRNet that utilizes either Java Applets or ActiveX controls are considered mobile code and the source needs to be examined thorugh DISCAP to insure there are no backdoors or security holes in the "mobile code". Once that is validated, those controls/applets are given permission to run.
2. Access Control Lists (ACL): The access control list is a table that tells which access rights each user has for a particular course(s). Each object hashas a security attribute that identifies its access control list, the list has an entry for each LMS user, each course has what access privilege is required to use the course. Normally the user list is synchronized with either LDAP or Microsoft Directory Services so rekeying of the list is not required. The LMS Admin would then use the tools in the LMS Admin area for the LMS's ACL and set user levels for the user. Course authors would then set course access levels on the courses or modules when then place on the system.
3.Pubic Key Infrastructure (PKI): PKI provides the authentication, confidentiality, integrity, and non-repudiations needed for validating users and protecting information in a paperless environment. PKI is being implemented with the DoD Smart Cards (CAC - common access cards). The reason this is important for the LMS is that in order to access and authenticate on a DoD system as of April 1, 2004, users need their CAC card and a PKI digital certificate. If you go to this link you can read more details on why this important and how it works: http://gsmweb.udallas.edu/info_assurance/pdf/5387_IA_Paper.pdf
4. Track setup requirements for classroom-based training classes (brick and mortar):The need here is for being able to place pre-requisites or other requirements needed for classes being taught in a normal classroom as opposed to the online course. Since the training a Spec Ops person may go through could be a virtual or physical classroom, they want to be able to track both environments in the LMS such that everything is consolidated.
5. Developed content can be packaged into a Package Interchange Format (PIF):: This package is a ZIP archive that contains the content itself, descriptive metadata about the content and an XML "packing list" referred to as a "manifest." This is a key feature to be ADL compliant. Here are the details:
Content Packages created and exported by Continuum 2.0 are SCORM Version 1.2 are "SCORM Version 1.2 Content Packaging XML Conformant". The label for this level of conformance is ADLCP-PIF1. The requirements for this conformance label are listed below1:
If the Content Package is contained in a Package Interchange File (PIF), the PIF shall be compatible with PKZIP Version 2.04g, and
The Manifest shall be placed at the root of the Package (e.g. ZIP archive or CD-ROM), and
The Manifest shall be named "imsmanifest.xml", and
All supporting control documents shall be placed at the root of the PIF or root directory, and
The "imsmanifest.xml" shall be well-formed XML, and
The "imsmanifest.xml" shall validate against the IMS Content Packaging XML Schema Definition (XSD) Version 1.1.2, and
The "imsmanifest.xml" shall validate against the ADL Content Packaging XML Schema Definition (XSD) Version 1.2, and
The Content Package shall contain at least on Sharable Content Object or Asset as defined in the SCORM Content Aggregation Model, and
All Sharable Content Object (SCO) learning resources identified in the "imsmanifest.xml" shall be at a minimum: SCO-RTE1, and
All Meta-data used with the "imsmanifest.xml" shall adhere to the appropriate SCORM Meta-data Application Profile requirements
Interesting that DISCAP idea, can you give me some weblinks for more information?
As I said, you are looking for something different.
Let me speak for myself:
We are 10 secondary schools, pioneering education again: breaking down the (physical) walls of our classrooms, creating learning centers where students get relativ freedom to choose what they will do today. ("Scaffolding").
In the first place we need a tool that helps teachers to adapt/rearrange more easily teaching materials for this new situation and that gives students a clear overview of what they can do in every course, before they can take control over their own learning. The (week-)sections of Moodle as a kind of study-advise fits perfectly for both.
At our local university - where I also work as teacher trainer, and worked successfully for six years with another webenabled eLearning tool - we also say "We can teach you to build the best bridges of the world, but if you - as a technician - do not learn to communicate with non-technicians - like the members of a city-committee - none of your bridges will ever be build."
In our schools we realise that learning how to work in a group with not only your friends is even more important then just gathering knowledge. (To be clear: we say you need BOTH)
So we need a system that ALSO can organise and monitor/registrate rich (=complex) group learning activities. We combine this with individual learning activities. I expect that in the format of SCORM these individual exercises will become available. In our gradebook you will find for each students results for individual activities, but also marks for their group activities.
We also cobine these computer activities with real live activities: In the gradebook of Moodle you can bring in marks for these external activties. Most of these external activities will be "open assignments", "auhentic behavior" or "...." (write on the dots your local educational buzz-word)
To help teachers to grade all the open assignments (also open assignements on the pc) more secure and consistent we have to develop sets of judging scales (=Rubrics) Moodle supports this development proces more and more.
Security:
To keep the access to Moodle as easy as possible for OUR STUDENTS and OUR TEACHERS, we deciced to separate the secure student tracking system of the school from the course-tracking in Moodle. We (will) have it build inside our secure school administration. Moodle is the tool that faciltates the students and the teachers. That are humans, so the weakest part of our system are thes huamns.
By design (thanks to Martin) will the effect of an insecure teacher, loosing his paper agenda with his Moodle-password on the first left page, be limited to only his own course.
As professional teacher he will look at the grades in his gradebook and combine this with his professional impresion of the same students. After that he will send his final ordial to the central admin.
Another security isssue is that we have a controlled user access: We use the formal User-administartion of the school to give only registrated people access (LDAP.) I am the only one who can give other people access, so again, the human is the weakest link 
We've done this for 1.2.1, to Bobby 508.
Took about 40 hours for one of our student/programmers (Chris Berri).
Testing now, should have a download available in a week or so, no warranty implied.
As I read it 508 compliant skins will be easier in vers 2, won't require hacking the form lables /img tags in the core code, and thus more easily sharable?
Hi Michael!
Do your changes also have a "dropdown" lists to adjust for font syle and font size like the one in the upper right corner of,
Section 508
http://www.section508.gov/
WP1
Do your changes also have a "dropdown" lists to adjust for font syle and font size like the one in the upper right corner of,
Section 508
http://www.section508.gov/
WP1