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SYNOPSIS: IMS Basic LTI, the latest standard supported by Desire2Learn, enables integration with external learning tools and allows access for a seamless user experience

Kitchener-Waterloo, ON, and Denver, CO, November 5, 2009 – Desire2Learn Incorporated (Desire2Learn) a leading provider of mission-critical enterprise eLearning solutions, today announced the support of IMS Basic Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI) within Desire2Learn® Learning Environment, becoming the first Learning Management System (LMS) provider to do so.

LTI is a standard developed by IMS Global Learning Consortium to allow Tool Consumers (Learning Management Systems primarily) to easily link to and pass user/organization/course information to Tool Providers (other online applications for eLearning such as wikis, simulations, protected content, assessment tools, etc.).

Desire2Learn Learning Environment supports Basic LTI as a Tool Consumer. This support entails:

• Management interfaces to define integrations to external learning tools (Tool Providers) and to create links
• New Quicklink type to allow links to Tool Providers to be easily incorporated throughout Desire2Learn courses
• Links to external learning tools that can send user, organization, and course context information for a personalized experience in the tool; single-sign-on to learning tools is supported through an oAuth framework using a key/secret shared between the external learning tool and the configured link in Learning Environment
• Management tools to configure mapping from Desire2Learn roles to IMS roles, and from Desire2Learn org unit types to IMS context types

Desire2Learn is committed to providing support for the creation and market adoption of standards and specifications that improve teaching and learning. Integrations to external learning tools can be accomplished without the need for custom development or proprietary single sign-on implementations.

"Through our new support of IMS Basic LTI, our clients and partners are empowered to perform simple learning tool integrations in minutes," states Jeremy Auger, COO, Desire2Learn. "Our latest release demonstrates Desire2Learn's continuing commitment to the support of standards, and increased extensibility, providing a more integrated and maintainable technology stack."

"Integration of learning technology needs to be seamless if it is to achieve wide adoption, and for years we have been hearing about first generation open APIs that vendors provide for tool integration," says Dr. Rob Abel, Chief Executive of IMS Global Learning Consortium. "Basic LTI and LTI not only provide a standard open interface that ALL suppliers can use, thus increasing flexibility and choice, but they also make it possible for the learning management platform to collect results from a wide variety of systems for use by the faculty and administration. This enables the next generation of e-Learning for education: lower cost, more effective, integration of a wide variety of learning applications."

Basic LTI Architecture

Tool vendors and content developers implementing Basic LTI as Tool Providers are encouraged to visit www.Desire2Learn.com, call 1.888.772.0325 or email Info@Desire2Learn.com for further information and testing.

Demonstrations are also available at the Desire2Learn booth (#632) on the Exhibit Floor of EDUCAUSE 2009 being held at the Colorado Convention Center, November 3-5, 2009. Stop by to learn more.

About Desire2Learn

Desire2Learn comprises Desire2Learn Incorporated and its subsidiaries. Desire2Learn is a world-leading provider of enterprise eLearning solutions that enable institutions and other organizations to create teaching and learning environments that reflect their vision, values, goals, pedagogical approaches and branding. Founded in 1999, Desire2Learn has offices and personnel located in North America, the U.K. and Australia. Desire2Learn supports more than five million learners worldwide and clients include higher education, K-12, as well as associations, government and other leading organizations. For more information, visit: www.Desire2Learn.com, call 1.519.772.0325 or toll-free 1.888.772.0325 (within North America), 0808.234.6744 (U.K.) and +61 412 067 308 (Australia).