The development of good e-learning materials poses a variety of challenges for those wishing to create the content without the expertise and skills of a specialist design and development company. A wealth of commercial tools are now available that allow the creation of interactive learning materials for delivery across the internet, an intranet or a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), or on CD-ROM or DVD. The list below gives an indication of some of the tools currently available. Some are aimed at the novice and require no specialist knowledge of content creation, while others are designed for those with some experience of authoring and require some technical knowledge. Many suppliers offer a free trial of their product. It is recommended that you take advantage of this before buying to ensure that your own specific needs are met. The software included in this activity does not imply a recommendation, and you are advised to check the copyright terms and licensing requirements involved in using these software packages.
Authoring tools
Anark®Anark Studio2: multimedia authoring software that gives you the power to create interactive 3D content to engage your learners and communicate your ideas.
Free 15-day download.
CourseGenie™
Enables you to take your Word documents and automatically generate an online course including navigation, popups, hyperlinks, self-test questions, audio and video, with export to plain HTML, WebCT Content Module or instructional management system formats.
Authorware®
A professional tool allowing you to create media-rich e-learning content.
A free download to try it out is available from: http://www.macromedia.com/cfusion/tdrc/index.cfm?product=authorware EasyGenerator®
Enables you to create interactive content even if you have no knowledge of programming languages or specialist software. This tool gives you common methods of interaction, such as multiple choice and drag and drop.
EasyProf®
An authoring tool for creating e-learning content and multimedia presentations. It is designed for authors who are experts in their fields, who have experience in working with computers, but not necessarily with programming.
E-learning Course Development Kit
Enables you to author e-learning courses quickly and easily using popular and inexpensive web-development tools such as Macromedia® Dreamweaver® and Microsoft® FrontPage®. The e-Learning Course Development Kit has built-in navigation, bookmarking, scoring and other capabilities that every e-learning course needs. The authoring tool kit lets you focus on the content and interactivity of your courses.
Elicitus
Elicitus is an authoring tool enabling you to repurpose content and create courses that can be used via CD-ROMs, an intranet or the internet. Using this tool you can also integrate multimedia into your content.
ExpressTrain™
ExpressTrain™ enables you to create interactive computer-based training courses. It includes tracking features that let you follow how learners are performing on courses, and how effective those courses are.
Free download available.
Filamentality
Allows you to create simple web pages with structured links to learning content.
FrontPage®
Gives you the tools you need to create and control professional quality websites. It uses PowerPoint-like drawing tools and automatic web content to make your website exciting and dynamic. You can also manage your internet or intranet website effectively using this software.
Some helpful reviews of this product can be found on the Amazon website at: http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00005JIL5/ref=ed_best_h_1_11/202-1917203-1986232
GoLive®
A visual tool allowing you to design, build and manage your website.
Some helpful reviews of this product can be found on the Amazon website at: http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00005V9FP/qid=1057761234/sr=2-2/ref=sr_2_3_2/202-1917203-1986232
Hot Dog Pagewiz®
Uses wizards, customisable menus and other visuals to create websites with lots of features. Kallidus®
Allows users to produce interactive learning content for web-based and CD-ROM distribution. It is simple to use and enables you to create e-learning content quickly and efficiently, without the need for programming skills.
Learning Pool
A new e-learning service from the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA) that brings local authorities together to create and access targeted e-learning for local government and to share existing resources. Learning Pool provides a simple-to-use authoring tool that enables non-technical users to build e-learning quickly and simply.
Access to the services provided by IDeA is through a local authority licence.
Netscape® Composer
This is the built-in HTML editor of Netscape. It allows you to edit HTML pages and then upload them to the web.
Seminar
The creation of interactive courses, presentations and quizzes are all possible with this tool. These can then be packaged and distributed via the web, CD-ROM, email or floppy disk.
Tactic! Editor
An easy-to-use yet powerful online learning authoring tool. It enables you to design, produce, update and manage interactive multimedia training courses for delivery across the internet, an intranet, a local area network (LAN) or CD-ROM, with no programming skills.
Free download available.
Toolbook Assistant
Enables non-technical business professionals to easily create high quality, standards-based e-learning content without programming.
Quiz, test and survey tools
Question toolsA software suite that allows anyone with a Windows® PC to create online tests and exams. For pricing information, visit http://www.questiontools.com/order.html, where you can download a PDF containing all the information.
Hot Potatoes™
A freeware software package that enables tutors to create advanced interactive quizzes. Easy and straightforward to use.
Questionmark® Perception
Can be used to create and deliver tests, quizzes and surveys on intranets, the internet or using Windows® PCs.
Quia
Create quizzes, activities, calendars, web pages, surveys and lots more.