As of August 1st, 2008, the Edutech web site will no longer be. Edutech was funded by the Swiss Virtual Campus programme, which ended on July 31st, 2008. Some activities will be taken over by the e-Learning Services group at the SWITCH foundation.

Evaluation of Open Source Course Platforms

The following products were considered for an evaluation of open source learning management systems. A detailed evaluation was done only for those products that passed all killer criteria listed below.

Killer criteria :

support for multiple languages (esp. English, French, German, Italian)
server runs on multiple operating systems
integrated/homogeneous learning environment (not just a collection of tools)
active development, with at least 2 full time developers
active community
basic e-learing tools are available
basic documentation is available

Reviewed Products

Product descriptions are taken mainly from products' web sites.

ATutor
ATutor 1.4. is an Open Source Web-based Learning Content Management System (LCMS) designed with accessibility and adaptability in mind. Administrators can install or update ATutor in minutes. Educators can quickly assemble, package, and redistribute Web-based instructional content, or conduct courses online. Students learn in an adaptive learning environment. The first Open Source LCMS to adopt the IMS Content Packaging specifications.
No killer criterion
ACOLAD
Apprentissages Collaboratifs A Distance est une plateforme de formation � distance qui repose sur les technologies employ�es sur Internet.
killer criteria: 1 (French only)
ADEPT

BAZAR
A free online course management and conferencing system developed by the Athabasca University. Read the article
killer criteria: 1 (no German or Italian), 5 (limited to one university)
BOLINOS
A modular publication and communication platform for Internet / Web developped in order to enable simple management of complex portals. Bolinos is based on a data structure compatible with Sqeleton, Internet / Web operating system, and uses standard open-source software: PHP, Apache, mySQL.
killer criteria: not a Learning/Course Management System, but rather a Content Management System
Claroline (classroom online)
Claroline is a free GPL software working with PHP /MySQL. It is a course based educational tool allowing the teacher to create, admin and feed his courses through the web. Features: Shared Documents (File Manager); Agenda; Forums; Student; papers upload; Links; Statistics; Announcements; Logging and sessions; ...
No killer criterion
COSE
COSE is a Virtual Learning Environment being developed by the Staffordshire University
killer criteria: 1 (English only)
Coursework, Stanford University
CourseWork is a open source course management system based at Stanford University and developed by Academic Computing in the Stanford University Libraries and Academic Information Resources. Using CourseWork, instructors and TAs can set up a course Web site that displays announcements, on-line readings, a dynamic syllabus and schedule, on-line assignments and quizzes, a discussion forum for students, and a grade book. CourseWork is designed both for faculty with little Web experience, who can use CourseWork to develop their Web site quickly, and for expert Web-users, who can use it to organize complex, Web-based materials and link them to Web communication tools. The CourseWork source code is free and open, and can be downloaded for any organization to use and modify to their own needs. You will need your own staff to install and manage the system, but the code is free and open.
killer criteria: 1 (English only)
Covidia platform
Covidia is no longer open source
doceboLMS
DoceboLMS is an open source e-learning platform written in php mysql and scorm 1.2 compliant, for distance learning developed in italy and known as "Spaghettilearning", since the 2.0 version the name is changed in DoceboLMS.
killer criteria: 1, 4, 5
Dicole MimerDesk
MimerDesk is less an LMS than a Web-based groupware environment designed for a wide variety of uses such as personal management, computer-supported collaborative learning, carrying out projects, and setting up communities. Its main strengths include a very customizable group system which allows many groups to work simultaneously on a shared database with tools like Calendar, Tasks, Forums, Links, Chat, Reviews, Voting, Files, Instant Messages, Profiles, and many more.
killer criteria: 6 (no assignment, no chat), 7
Dokeos
Dokeos is a free software translated in 31 languages and helping more than 1.000 organisations worldwide to manage Learning and Collaboration activities. It allows the teacher/trainer to create content, structure activities along a sequenced path, interact with students/trainees and follow their progress.
Dokeos is actually a fork from Claroline. It was not considered in this evaluation, as it relies mostly on the same code base as Claroline, and its features are still very similar.
dotLRN
dotLRN is a fully open source eLearning platform. The commitment to open source emphasizes the author's belief that the core infrastructure and application suite for eLearning should be part of the "intellectual commons" and freely available to all. dotLRN is being made available as open source software under the GNU General Public License. A portal framework and integrated application suite to support course management and online communities. Knowledge organizations recognize the need to support a variety of applications and tools to foster learning and to promote collaboration. Just as users rely on the "Office" suite of applications (word processing, spreadsheet, database, presentation, email) for basic productivity, dotLRN contains an integrated suite of applications to support distributed collaborative communities engaged in learning and research. A scalable, secure, and enterprise-ready eLearning platform that can be deployed readily by small and large organizations. By its very nature, an eLearning platform cannot be a stand-alone application. dotLRN will deliver vertical integration into the enterprise infrastructure through well established open standards and published APIs. A modular architecture to permit flexibility and to drive innovation. As new technologies and tools emerge, ranging from P2P to wireless, organizations need the flexibility to stitch together various solutions and products. Based on the Web Services paradigm, dotLRN will deliver a componentized architecture to permit horizontal integration of best of breed open source and proprietary technologies.
No killer criterion
Eledge
Eledge is an Open Learning Management System that provides the framework for creating a web site for online instruction, including student registration, authentication, content creation, quizzes, exams, homework graders, report uploads, instructor gradebook, class calendar, and online help.
killer criteria: 4 (last update Oct. 2003)
Fle3 Learning Environment
Fle3 is a web-based learning environment. To be more specific Fle3 is a server software for computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL). Fle3 is designed to support learner and group centered work that concentrates on creating and developing expressions of knowledge (i.e. knowledge artefacts) and design.Fle3 is Open Source and Free Software released under GNU the General Public Licence (GPL).
killer criteria: 6
Freestyle Learning
Freestyle Learning setzt sich aus zwei verschieden Platformen zusammen. Eine Offlineplatform, die als Endprodukt dem Lernenden angeboten wird. Eine komplette Lerneinheit, erstellt mit einem professionellen und komfortablen Autorenwerkzeug wird dem Nutzer angeboten. Diese Platform ist als Basis der Wissensvermittlung anzusehen und unterst�tzt das individuelles Lernen.
killer criteria: 7
Ganesha
French Open Source LMS (GPL) Need PHP, Apache and MySQL. Currently working on AICC SCORM and XML features. Ganesha will shortly be available in several languages.
killer criteria: 1 (no German version), 6 (e.g. quizzes only via external tools)
ILIAS
ILIAS has been developed in the VIRTUS project of the Faculty of Economics, Business Administration and Social Sciences at the University of Cologne. Through a client-server system ILIAS allows users to create, edit and publish learning units in a single system. The current version of ILIAS offers the following features: Personal desktop for each user with information about last visited courses, new mails or posts Learning environment with personal annotations, test, glossary, print function, search engine, offline-version Communication features like news system and discussion forums Group system for collaborative work and organising members and resources Integrated authoring environment (Editor) to create courses without HTML Support of metadata for all levels of learning objects Context-sensitive help system for learners and authors User and system administration interface System languages: english, german, french, spanish, norwegian, swedish, danish, polish. The web-based training platform ILIAS is available as open source software under the terms of the GNU-GPL. Universities, educational institutions and every interested person may use the system free of charge and contribute to the further development.
No killer criterion
Jones e-education: Software Standard

Knowledge Environment for Web-based Learning (KEWL)
The Knowledge Environment for Web-based Learning (KEWL) is a full online courseware system with all the tools needed to follow a constructivist approach to online learning. It includes gazillions of features, yet it takes only a few minutes to set up a course. (http://kewl.uwc.ac.za)
killer criteria: 1 (no French, German or Italian) 5, 6
Manhattan Virtual Classroom
The Manhattan Virtual Classroom is a password protected, web-based virtual classroom system that includes a variety of discussion groups, live chat, areas for the teacher to post the syllabus and other handouts and notices, a module for organizing online assignments, a grades module, and a unique, web-based email system open only to students in the class. Manhattan is free, and is released under the GNU General Public License

MANIC: An Open-Source System to Create and Deliver Courses over the Internet
DB MANIC is an open-source, cross-platform system to create and deliver courses over the WWW. DB MANIC allows instructors to create courses and deliver them to students as HTML slides shown in synchrony with the voice of the instructor in an audio stream. Courses are organized as modular units to teach individual topics; students can drive their learning experience by browsing the material freely and controlling the pace of the presentations. DB MANIC provides an on-line authoring tool that does not require knowledge of HTML and that makes it easy to create, maintain, reuse, and share courses.DB MANIC has been used to deliver a variety of courses. Students benefit from around-the-clock access to material; the combination of audio and text also makes it easy to understand and remember the material. Instructors are able to cover more material during their lectures and to adapt the digital material for future use.
killer criteria: 7

Moodle
Moodle is a Free, open source PHP application for producing Internet-based educational courses and Web sites on any major platform (Linux, Unix, Windows and Mac OS X). Courses are easily built up using modules such as forums, chats, journals, quizzes, surveys, assignments, workshops, resources, choices and more. Moodle supports localisation, and has so far been translated into 34 languages. Moodle has been designed to support modern pedagogies based on social constructionism, and focuses on providing an environment to support collaboration, connected knowing and a meaningful exchange of ideas.
No killer criterion
OLAT Online Learning And Training
OLAT is a Learning Management System and stands for Online Learning And Training. OLAT was developed at the department of Information technologie (IFI) at the University of Zurich, Switzerland, and is now managed by and under continously development at the IT-Services Department of the University of Zurich. The OLAT-System offers the students access to lecture contents in a webbased learning environment and supports the following key features: Pure HTML based; HTML based content system; advanced group mamagement (within classes, within courses); score based course system, score can be feed automatically by online tests or manually by the coaches; clear separation of user roles (learner, coach, content creator, cours administrator); context sensitive system help; full layout control in course context; questionnary/survey system, based on IMS QTI v1.2.1 standard; separate discussion forum for each course, study group and the course staff members; separate file sharing disk space for each course, study group, the course staff members and each user; file sharing via HTTP or WebDav. The Learning Management System OLAT is open source and completely free of charge.
No killer criterion

Open Knowledge Initiative (OKI)
The primary goal of the Open Knowledge Initiative (OKI) is to design and develop an open and extensible architecture for learning management systems (LMS).The initiative is motivated by the recognition that existing LMS platforms, whether commercial or home-grown, are not very extensible. They do not easily support the development of new educational applications and are difficult to extend into a university's legacy backend infrastructure (authentication/authorization schemes, Registrar's databases or digital library collections.) To correct this problem, OKI's architecture and open source approach is designed to encourage both the partner institutions and eventually a broader educational community to contribute tools and services to OKI's code-base. Like all good architecture, OKI has been designed to be spare and elegant and yet provide the hooks and services that will make it a fertile environment for academic developers.

Open Learning Management System (O-LMS)
In sharp contrast to commercial influences in online education, vigorous shared knowledge communities, intended to facilitate teachers creating online learning contexts by sharing materials, have emerged. As part that movement, the Open Learning Management System is an open code online learning management system developed at the University of Utah which is in accord with architectural philosophy of the Open Knowledge Initiative. This software infrastructure can be used be used to create learning contexts to support classroom courses or to create fully-online courses. Current learning and management components are written in Java 1.1.5, dynamically driven by Oracle 8.1, and deployed on an Apache 1.3 server running on a Sun Solaris 7.

Open LMS
OpenLMS is a Learning Management System (LMS) made at the Dept. of Geography, NTNU, Norway. The system is a fully functional LMS with support for group collaboration, file sharing, distribution of lectures, etc.
killer criteria: 4,5,6,7

Open LMS Foundation
The OpenLMS Foundation is a membership-based, non-profit corporation. Its mission is to provide scientific and educational support for open source Learning Management Systems (LMS) software projects The foundation provides technical, legal, and financial support to its members. OpenLMS is an open source learning management system (LMS) to be constructed as an N-tier application using Java 2 Enterprise Edition (J2EE) and Enterprise JavaBeans (EJB). The LMS will be conformant with the current ADL SCORM specification.

Open Source Software for Universities and Faculties (Open Source University Support System-OpenUSS)
OpenUSS is a J2EE- and GPL-based E-Learning platform from Uni-M�nster. OpenUSS is an infrastructure software for every Organizations, which have a need to build an E-Learning platform: - universities, - schools, - training companies and - other companies, which offer direct training to their workers. Like Apache for web server, JBoss and JOnAS for EJB server, Tomcat for servlet server, OpenUSS is targeted to take over the market for Learning Management Systems (LMS). At least it is believed that, LMS are also general-purpose, commoditized, horizontal infrastructure software.
killer criteria: 1 (German and English only)
OpenLCMS
The goal of OpenLCMS is to create a SCORM compliant learning content management system that will provide trainers and instructors wtih an easy to use courseware development tool. Content created with OpenLCMS should be distributable via web, CD, or paper.
killer criteria: 4, 5 (no recent activity)
Rearsite
La palte-form permet une gestion de sites Web et de d�poser des documents, de contr�ler qui est autoris� � les consulter, de leur associer des outils orient�s travail collaboratif (forums, salons de bavardage ou calendriers partageables) et de b�tir des QCM multim�dias.
killer criteria: according to web site: closed on June 29 2004
Sakai
The Sakai Project is a community source software development effort to design, build and deploy a new Collaboration and Learning Environment (CLE) for higher education.
killer criteria: 1

Shadow netWorkspace
Shadow netWorkspace is a web application system that allows a school or any type of learning community to establish an intranet with networkspaces for all members and classes. The members of the learning community have shared workspaces for collaboration; discussion boards, chat, email, and messenger systems for communication; and web-based document editors and viewers for representation. Shadow netWorkspace is freely available (GPL) to anyone and all users and developers are invited to build and sustain a community that advances Shadow netWorkspace and its impact on learning.
killer criteria: 4, 5 (no apparent activity since 2001)
Stud.IP - course management tool for universities
Stud.IP offers a "minimal standard" for presence teaching or blended learning as "open source" software. University courses are not replaced, but supported by Stud.IP, and administrative procedures are simplified. Stud.IP offers a quick and uncomplicated introduction to the world of e-learning. A 'minimal standard' for presence teaching is offered. For every course offered at an institute, a range of tools are available. These include schedules, document folders, discussion forums, participant lists, literature and link lists, news tickers and much more. The aim is not to replace existing courses, but to support them with a multimedia approach. The second focus is at an administrative level, allowing the updating of current institute homepages via the internet, the administration of resources such as rooms and technical equipment, print-outs of course commentary or administering appointments with the integrated Personal Information Manager (PIM).
killer criteria: not an LMS
Campussource (ex:Uni Open Platform)
Uni Open Platform is a flexible Open Source e-learning environment tailored to master the daily tasks in educational institutions. The Uni Open Platform platform was developed during the project 'Virtual University', funded by the state of North-Rhine-Westphalia. Uni Open Platform is a web-based system for the administration of courses, students, and educational staff. It is currently in operation at four educational institutions. Among these institutions is the faculty of electrical engineering at the University of Hagen, which developed the platform under the name ET-Online.
killer criteria: not an LMS
uPortal
uPortal is a free, sharable portal under development by institutions of higher-education.
killer criteria: not an LMS but a web portal builder