The Microsoft Learning Content Development System (LCDS) is a free tool that enables the Microsoft Learning community to create high-quality, interactive, online courses. It is the same tool Microsoft Learning uses internally to (also check out the beta of SnackBox where we can host your LCDS-created Learning Snacks http://beta.snackbox.microsoft.com/)
The LCDS allows anyone in the Microsoft Learning community to publish e-learning courses by completing the easy-to-use LCDS forms that seamlessly generate highly customized content, including interactive activities, quizzes, games, assessments, animations, demos, and other multimedia.
What does the LCDS offer?
– With the LCDS, the Microsoft Learning community can:
– Develop and deliver content quickly, while it is timely and relevant.
– Deliver Web content that conforms to SCORM 1.2, and which can be hosted in a learning management system.
– Upload or attach existing content. (LCDS supports multiple file formats.)
– Choose from a wide variety of forms for authoring rich e-learning content and Silverlight-based interactive components.
– Develop course structure and easily rearrange it at any time.
– Download sample courses (LCDS must be installed)
Highlights of this release
New v2.4 features for learners and for authors of E-Learning courses and Learning Snacks include:
• E-learning courses are Firefox 3.5–compatible • LCDS authoring is Windows 7–compatible • LCDS authoring and e-learning courses are Microsoft Silverlight 3.0–compatible • Indexing, spell check, and print are compatible with Microsoft Office 2007 and Office 2010 • Refreshed thumbnail user interface is available, including for the single SCO package option • Community authors get packaging options (SCORM 1.2 and single SCO options) for the first time • Minimum topic limit is now 1 instead of 4 • Kazakh language added for the viewer
Also available on the site are 7 localized LCDS v2.3 versions: Brazilian Portuguese, Chinese (Simplified), Russian, Hindi, Polish, Turkish, and Spanish.
Get it here