Road Map
Over the coming development cycles there are a variety of features we are planning to add to ATutor. Some are plans (projects that need funding), while others are definite (funded projects). The ATutor group generally funds the development of features that others are less likely to support, and relies on funds from external sources for features that are more likely to be supported by the ATutor community. If you are a member of the ATutor community, and would like to help fund the development of any of the projects suggested below (or other projects) to speed up their addition to the system, or take on the development yourself, please contact the ATutor team. See a list of organizations that have contributed to ATutor's development
Current - 2009 Q1 & Q2
- Social Networking (Phase 1): A layer of social networking tools will be added to ATutor that allow users to gather contacts, develop a public profile, monitor activities of their contacts, and create and join interest groups, among other social activities. The ATutor social network is an implementation of the Google OpenSocial standard. (Phase 1 done)
- IMS Common Cartridge Implementation: Continued development of content interoperability capabilities in ATutor, combining the existing SCORM, Content Packaging, and QTI tools, with Tool Interoperability, and IEEE metadata tools to create a complete interoperability suite. See the IMS Common Cartridge site for details of the development of this new specification (Underway).
- Directory Services Utility: Create a general utility that allows ATutor to authenticate against a variety of directory services, via LDAP, Active Directory, and custom registration databases via SOAP, etc. (LDAP module done)
Short Term - 2009 Q3+
- Content Repository: The TILE learning objects repository is being rebuilt in PHP. It will seamlessly integrate with ATutor to provide content authoring, transformation, and achiving services. Developers can use it's web services API to integrate the repository with other learning management and content management systems.
- Social Networking (Phase 2): In Phase 2 a network server module will be created that allows administrator to link their ATutor network together with other ATutor networks.
- Calendar Module: Upgrade modules to include date hooks, and develop an extendable Calendar modules that extracts dates from ATutor, or its addon modules.
- Web 2.0 Templating: With the addition of Fluid Infusion in ATutor 1.6.3, development will begin on various inline editors, drag-and-drop functionality, and other advanced authoring and interface modifications.
Longer Term 2010 Q1+
- Functional Templating: Create a utility to run a functional templates that reconfigure ATutor to serve different purposes, updating the tools available, rewriting language and update the theme to suit the purpose of the environment. In addition to LMS function, add CMS, portal, community collaborative work environment, and others.
- SCORM 2004 RTE upgrade: Matthai and Yastut System Engineering are continuing to work on the ATutor RTE and add in SCORM 2004 functionality. (to be a commercial addon)
- ADOdb Database Libraries: include ADOdb Library with the ATutor distribution, and replace all database queries with ADOdb compatible queries, allowing ATutor to run with databases such as PostgreSQL,Oracle, MS SQL, MS Access, Sybase, and a host of others. (pending funding)
- BarrierFree Authoring Tool and Player: the proof of concept work conducted at the ATRC, creating the BarrierFree video authoring tool and player, will be moved into production and open source distribution (pending funding). The authoring tool currently allows content developers to markup video with captioning, descriptive audio, as well as adding hot clickable areas, hyperlinks within captions, and inserting of still images, etc.
- Streaming media server: likely as part of the TTS and BarrierFree development mentioned above, a streaming media server addon module will be created. Potentially using Icecast open source streaming media server. For streaming TTS feeds as well as video, and other audio formats. (pending funding)
