Tata Interactive Systems (TIS), is working on a state-of-the-art learning portal development project with Thomson Learning, serving secondary, post-secondary and graduate level students, teachers, librarians and learning institutions in both traditional and distance-learning environments.
According to TIS's Anil Sonkar, the project - named Thomson Learning Lot - involves TIS in developing systems for content creation workflow, publishing, archiving of learning objects and then rendering this learning material on the portal.
"The project involves combining such technologies as LAMS, DSpace, Fedora, Zoomla, uPortal and so on," said Sonkar. "This is another example of the Web 2.0 software as a service (SaaS) approach where various open source softwares are used.
"SaaS is generally associated with business software and is typically thought of as a low-cost way for businesses to obtain the same benefits of commercially licenced, internally operated software without the associated complexity and high initial cost," explained Alan Samuel, head of TIS's UK operations. "The distinction between SaaS and earlier applications delivered over the Internet is that SaaS solutions are developed specifically to use web technologies such as the browser, thereby making them web-native - and, unlike the application service provider (ASP) model, they can be updated on a daily basis.
"The focus in SaaS is more on what the customer wants rather than what the vendor could give, as was the case in an ASP."
Thomson Learning's products are sold throughout the world, both directly and via distributors. The organisation has offices in 42 countries, employs over 12,000 people and generates annual revenue in excess of US $2bn.
In addition to the education sector, Thomson Learning's products are available to the professional and corporate training marketplaces.
It offers adult education and certification materials for corporations, training centres and individuals. In the library, academic and corporate marketplaces it offers a range of reference material in print, online and microform format.
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