FYI:
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: IMS Press Release: IMS forms alliance with Coalition for
Networked Information (CNI)
Date: Thu, 13 Mar 2003 10:42:01 -0500
From: IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc. <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
*IMS forms alliance with Coalition for Networked Information (CNI)*
/Collaboration to further interoperability in digital libraries and
learning object repositories/
*Burlington, Mass. - March 13, 2003 -* IMS Global Learning Consortium
(IMS) today announced a working alliance between IMS and CNI to explore
the development of common architectural and functional models leading to
joint specifications and improved technical interoperability in the
rapidly evolving areas of digital libraries and learning object
repositories.
Professor Neil McLean, Director of IMS Australia and a member of the IMS
Board of Directors, is leading the initiative on behalf of IMS. He
said, "The reaching out to the library community and to all those
involved in digital asset management within institutions marks an
important milestone in the evolution of IMS. CNI, which brings together
the information technology and library communities, is an ideal partner
for this effort." Neil McLean went on to say, " The recently released
IMS Digital Repository Interoperability Specification version 1.0
provides an excellent framework for the consultation exercise and it
should provide a platform for further technical specifications."
Dr. Clifford Lynch, Executive Director of CNI, observed,"This is a very
timely collaboration as higher education institutions try to sort
through both the technical and organizational challenges of a landscape
that is being transformed by new developments such as learning
management systems and institutional repositories. The portfolio of IMS
standards, and the architectural work that they have advanced over the
last few years will be an essential basis for addressing these challenges."
*Collaborative white paper and workshop underway*
IMS and CNI are developing a joint white paper with assistance from
Lorcan Dempsey, Vice President, Research, OCLC and David Seaman,
Director, Digital Library Federation. A draft will be previewed at the
spring meetings of both IMS and the CNI Task Force, and further refined
at a joint planning workshop to be held in June 2003. While the initial
focus of the alliance will be specifically on the requirements of higher
education institutions around the world, the group aims to provide
technical advice and specifications for all education and training
communities wishing to develop and use interoperable digital library and
learning object repositories.
*About IMS*
The IMS Global Learning Consortium develops open technical
specifications to support distributed learning. All specifications
developed by IMS are made available to the public without charge through
the IMS website. IMS is a non-profit organization supported by members
of a worldwide consortium that includes 50 Contributing Members and 60
Developers Network subscribers. The IMS in Europe foundation supports
activities among European members. Information about IMS specifications,
on-going activities, and membership is available at the IMS website
www.imsglobal.org <http://www.imsglobal.org/>.
*About CNI*
CNI is an organization dedicated to supporting the transformative
promise of networked information technology for the advancement of
scholarly communication and the enrichment of intellectual
productivity. Some 200 institutions representing higher education,
publishing, network and telecommunications, information technology, and
libraries and library organizations make up CNI's Members. For more
information, visit www.cni.org <http://www.cni.org/>.
*For more information contact:* Caroline Oldershaw, Manager of Marketing
and Public Relations, +1 608-233-3277, [log in to unmask]
<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
/The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the
trademarks of their respective owners./
--
Phil Barker Learning Technology Advisor
ICBL, School of Mathematical and Computer Sciences
Mountbatten Building, Heriot-Watt University,
Edinburgh, EH14 4AS
Tel: 0131 451 3278 Fax: 0131 451 3327
Web: http://www.icbl.hw.ac.uk/~philb/
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