LMS is still new, full of potential, expanding and most importantly strides alongside globalization.  Its competitors include enterprise resource planning vendors, consulting firms, training outsourcing firm, smaller LMP product vendors.

Due to lack of IT support, customization, integration and high prices, LMS buyers widely report dissatisfaction with LMS products, according to the ASTD and the eLearning Guide poll.

LMS is a sophisticated tool, needs great attention to both design functionality and accessibility to overcome and make the way for opportunities for smaller product vendors to tackle those problems and complete in a growing market and face the challenges of this arena.

Course is hosted on an LMS and courseware developers use an authoring tool to create course content and users choose an authoring took that works with their LMS to make sure that course content function works smoothly.Authoring tools are available in the market abundantly and significant consideration is if they meet SCORM set standards, as it is very critical.

SCORM, Sharable Content Object Reference Model was created by the Advanced Distributed Learning initiative, sponsored by the U.S department of Defense to set specifications.

SCORM tools helps in uploading if you have completed the process of gathering your instructional materials and you desire to upload them to an LMS as many LMS permit you to upload SCORM module with a single click from your computer.  There has been 3 SCORM version released so far but SCORM 1.2 was the first widely used and still supported by most LMS today along with SCORM 2004, the latest version. The first production version of SCORM was SCORM 1.1.

Interaction between the tutor and the students online depends on the software application that is being used for online education or online learning. The basic infrastructure by mean of which it is possible for an online educational institutions to introduce gradation and assessments system which it is possible for the e-learning assessments to evaluate their students and improve their overall educational standards. 

With the help of blogs, emails and forums, students are able to work together amongst themselves or with the instructor. Thus, the significance of these software application has increased as these software are supported by a certain prescribed formats to aid the successful function of online education and boost the overall system. SCORM, sharable Content Object Reference  Model is a e-learning tool to aid the case of online learning and assist the students to improve their educational standards.

The theory of "run-time environment" is variant of learning management systems as it provides coordination and cooperation between the content on the client's side and the host system. This interaction is supported by  SCORM.

SCORM was initiated by the office of the United States Secretary of Defense in 2003 and it is a part of Advanced Distributed Learning initiative and other application that are involved in the imparting of education through e-learning. There has been several version released to improve SCORM.SCORM second version 1.1 was the leading production edition in which AICC specified XML course content management file and however its first version  SCORM 1.0 pioneered the concept of Sharable Content Object for the first time on the internet.

The later version of SCORM, SCORM 2004 was able to eradicate the shortcoming of previous version by the use IMS Content Management specification. It has pioneered the theory of sequencing, which is essential for helping the numerous learners in their online learning process, and it confirms to the IEEE standards necessary for API.

Scorm project was sponsored by United States department of Defence and it is the initiative of advanced distributed learning.

In December 2003 department of defence of united state made all its e learning purchases to comply with Scorm and it made this mandatory.

Scorm versions

Scorm 1.1

This was the first version to be launched and used XML format based on AICC specifications to describe its structure of content. This version was a bit slow and was quickly replaced by the second version.

Scorm 1.2

This was the version that had made its improvements and is still supported by many LMS. It was fast as compared with the previous version.

Scorm 2004

This is the current version to be widely used in the market and it has solved many of the problems that were reported by the users of the older version. It is based on some new standards to facilitate the communication between content object and run time environment. Sequencing was introduced by the Scorm 2004 a new concept that allows its learner to specify the order of its content object. It allows the learner to follow a fixed path while learning and trace his progress on the way. It uses the same XML format and is based on the work of ADL, IEEE, and IMS GLOBAL.

It has the ability to share the information between different courses and their results, performed by the same learner within the same learning system. In other words it is more robust than the other versions.

Further additions in the Scorm includes

• 3rd Edition (October 2006)
• 4th Edition Released (March 31, 2009)

From the online training we mean that we do not have to study in classroom but training and teaching will take place through the web based technology. This has made the life easier as it will save the travelling time and cost. You can find almost every type of material on the web. These online training methods have also helped a lot in reducing the cost. You can locate a course that suits your range. Cost is reduces because there are no charges related to your travel and premises cost that form huge part of your total semester cost.

These softwares are called e-learning softwares and all this e learning have to manage through a system. Platform that is used to support this process is called learning management system and in order to standardise the process a set of rules are there to smooth the process called the Scorm which is an abbreviation for sharable content object reference model. With the Scorm in market the process of e learning becomes convenient and fast. With this fast mode of learning at your doorstep you can continue with your job and your educational career side by side. All you need is computer and access to internet.

With the help of Scorm and LMS the online training made its way to enhance its functionality in terms of the assessment of the student and keeping record of its work and progress. But you have to make sure before selecting any software that it is legal and well supported. Once you are done with your software you should try to make your timetable to mange your study.

Scorm has also made it possible to easily increase your knowledge base through discussion and web conferencing by sharing it with fellows and classmates over the internet. Scorm facilitate the communication between the tutor and the student. Trainers can also use help from PowerPoint, excel, and word and also upload any Scorm material they want.

So it's quite clear that software the e learning softwares have a major role in today's world to educate the people. So get started by uploading your Scorm material and increasing your knowledge.