Innovations and Awards

Desire2Learn is the Recipient of the 2009 United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA) 21st Century Best Practice Distance Learning Award

This prestigious international award is presented to the outstanding contributions of individuals and organizations in the distance learning industry who are changing the face of eLearning and developing new and innovative solutions beyond current practices.

"As a premier organization for the entire distance learning profession, we are honoring Desire2Learn as a leader in the industry," said Dr. John G. Flores, CEO of USDLA. "Desire2Learn has raised the bar of excellence and we are truly honored by the Desire2Learn contributions to the distance learning industry."

The USDLA Awards were created to acknowledge major accomplishments in distance learning and to highlight those distance learning instructors, programs and professionals who have achieved and demonstrated extraordinary results through the use of online, videoconferencing, satellite and blended learning delivery technologies.

Desire2Learn Ranked 23rd Fastest Growing Technology Company in Deloitte Technology Fast 50

Revenue growth of 920 percent from 2003 to 2007 resulted in the 23rd place ranking for Desire2Learn, an organically-grown and self-funded company, in the prestigious Deloitte Technology Fast 50 award program. This is the third consecutive year that Desire2Learn is recognized as one of Canada's fastest growing technology companies.

For over a decade, the Deloitte Technology Fast 50 program has tracked the successful growth of Canadian-grown global leaders. Desire2Learn was recognized for the third consecutive year as one of Canada's fastest growing technology companies in what has become Canada's pre-eminent technology award program. The program features four distinct categories including the Deloitte Technology Fast 50 Ranking, Companies-to-Watch Awards, Leadership Awards, and the Deloitte Technology Green 15 Awards.

To qualify for the Deloitte Technology Fast 50 ranking, companies must have been in business for at least five years, have revenues of at least $5 million, be headquartered in Canada, own proprietary technology and conduct research and development activities in Canada.

Desire2Learn Honored With KPMG Excellence in Technology Award

Desire2Learn was the recipient of the KPMG Excellence in Technology Award at the 24th Annual Waterloo Region Business Achievement Awards.

These annual awards honor Waterloo Region businesses that have excelled or made an outstanding community contribution. Desire2Learn was presented the award as the company that best demonstrates outstanding entrepreneurial achievements through the organization, development, management and/or application for a new technological concept, while achieving measurable business results.

Desire2Learn and John Baker, Founder, President & CEO of Desire2Learn, were recognized for building a user base of over five million clients while receiving no venture capital financing and being self-sufficient as a private corporation. John was present at the ceremony to accept the award.

Desire2Learn Receives Platinum MarCom Award

The prestigious MarCom Platinum Award is presented to those entries judged to be among the most outstanding entries in the Association of Marketing & Communication Professionals (AMCP) 2008 competition. Desire2Learn was honored for its FUSION 2008 Users’ Conference material, acknowledging its excellence in terms of quality, creativity and resourcefulness.

Winning a MarCom Award gives recognition to the creative talent, firms, departments and/or clients that collaborate on outstanding marketing and communication projects.

Tennessee Board of Regents, a user of Desire2Learn's Learning Management System, receives Platinum Award for their Online Campus Collaborative

The Learning Impact Awards (LIA) recognize technology in the context in which it is being used by an educational or training organization. Entries are evaluated according to eight criteria of impact, including improving access to, affordability and quality of learning.

"This award recognizes the collaborative efforts of the TBR administrators, faculty, staff and students" said Dr. Robbie Melton, Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Educational Technology, TBR. "One of the merits of the award is the reduction of duplicated programs and services as a result of the system-wide selection of Desire2Learn's course management system to employ the online teaching and learning, vision and mission, as well as to support the goals of the Tn eLearning Strategic Plan."

DND Learn and Desire2Learn Win 2007 Training Excellence Award

Desire2Learn, along with the Canadian Defence Academy's DND Learn Team and Learning Technology Innovation Cell was awarded a Gold medal in the Canadian Society of Training and Development (CSTD) Awards for Training Excellence. The awards honour innovative, Canadian-developed learning products and programs.

Powered by the Desire2Learn Learning Environment, the "Heavy Equipment Operator Maintenance Course" replaced 11 days of classroom delivered, knowledge based theory to students prior to commencing their infield practical training. The highly interactive course resulted in reduced training time enabling students to remain at their home units two weeks longer than the previous face-to-face model. Additionally the program increased learning through the delivery of an interactive and engaging course and lowered training costs while increasing performance. The award-winning course was developed by the Canadian Forces Support Training Group's Learning Technology and Innovation Cell with the assistance of the Canadian Forces School of Military Engineering.

The award recognizes the contributions of the following individuals to this project:

• Mr. Kevin Beda, Lead Developer and Mr. Russel Swithenbank, Developer for CDA CDD
• Sgt Michel Grenier, Standards SME, for CFSTG Stds Det Gagetown
• Sgt Kevin Foucault, SME and WO Dan McPhee, DL SME for CFSME
• Lt Brett Christensen, Instructional Designer and Project Manager for CDA CDD.

University of Arizona wins WCET Outstanding Work award using Desire2Learn Learning Environment

The nation's first totally online nursing PhD program in a research-intensive university allows nurses to remain in their current jobs, frequently in rural areas, while enrolling in a full time doctoral program recognized internationally. Using the state-of-the-art Desire2Learn Learning Environment combined with videoconferencing, faculty deliver instructional content and provide research mentoring.

Desire2Learn is the first academically focused eLearning Environment to be SCORM Certified.

Paul Jesukiewicz, director of the ADL Co-Lab speaks of how pleased ADL is to see a product that is targeting the academic market gain certification: "Desire2Learn is setting the pace for academia by stepping forward and being the first academic focused LMS/LCMS to be certified. ADL congratulates Desire2Learn and its commitment to SCORM and looks forward to continuing collaboration."

Smart Serve^TM Ontario and Desire2Learn win Top Award

CSTD's National Award for "Best External e-Learning Training Program." Since 1995, Smart Serve has trained more than 300,000 people.