Interoperability and Learning Objects: An Overview of E-Learning Standardization

The observation "the nice thing about standards is that there are so many to choose from" (Tanenbaum, 1981, p. 221) has been circulating in e-learning standards circles for some time. This statement certainly reflects the varied and complex nature of standards organizations and standards development processes. This paper provides an overview of standards and specifications bodies and processes relevant to e-learning and particularly to learning objects and related infrastructures. It focuses specifically on three key organizations and on the e-learning specifications and the standards they develop: the IMS Global Consortium, the IEEE LTSC (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. Learning Technology Standards Committee), and the ISO/IEC (International Standards Organization/International Electrotechnical Commission).