Desire2Learn will replace ACE software

Software from Waterloo spinoff company Desire2Learn Inc. will be the replacement for the university’s current learning management system, UW-ACE, an announcement said yesterday.

The word came from Andrea Chappell, director of the Instructional Technologies and Multimedia Services unit in Information Systems and Technology, who said “troubleshooting” of the new system will start in the spring term, and the move from ACE to D2L will be carried out this fall and in winter 2012.

She noted that since June 2009 a team of faculty, students, and people from IST, the Centre for Extended Learning, the Centre for Teaching Excellence, the office for persons with disabilities, and the library has been at work looking for a replacement for ACE.

“The new system,” Chappell said, “needs to address some unique teaching needs of University of Waterloo instructors while having an easy-to-use interface. Pending contract negotiations, the committee has recommended that the University of Waterloo adopt Desire2Learn as the new LMS.”

Why the change? “In May of 2009, Angel Learning Inc., the producer of the software used for UW-ACE, was purchased by a competitor LMS vendor, Blackboard Inc. While moving to Blackboard was one option, it became clear that it would mean a significant change. This was seen as an opportunity to consider the larger LMS market and determine the best fit for the University of Waterloo's next online course system.

“In looking for a replacement, we wanted to offer the same level of functionality and also to expand the LMS capabilities to enhance learning at UW.”

The process, says Chappell, “began by gathering, analyzing and assessing the LMS needs of the campus. Data was gleaned from a just-completed project, the Online Learning Environment Project, that ran faculty focus groups and a student survey. In May 2010 a Request for Information was issued to establish the breadth of responses to expect, followed by a formal Request For Proposals to which LMS vendors could submit their solution proposals. In addition to an in-depth assessment of the RFP submissions, the committee explored Open Source solutions that are not represented as part of the RFP process.

“To ensure that a comprehensive investigation was undertaken for all possible solutions, system sandboxes were created for testing, and reference calls were placed to other institutions for their insight and experience. Desire2Learn consistently emerged as the most comprehensive and suitable solution for the University of Waterloo's LMS needs.”

Started by a former Waterloo student in 1999, Desire2Learn is a Kitchener-based company that provides LMS solutions internationally and to a number of local universities, including Wilfrid Laurier and Guelph. Says Chappell: “They provide a LMS environment that will make a relatively easy transition for UW-ACE users, and also an environment that allows extensibility and greater mobile connectivity. In addition, Desire2Learn has worked hard to make their system accessible, beyond the requirements of the anticipated Ontario legislation.

“Desire2Learn also offers an ePortfolio system, and a separate project investigating ePortfolios opted to use Desire2Learn's system, as it satisfies their needs and provides useful integrations with the LMS.”

She says that “to provide the most stable system possible and to reduce disruption as much as possible, the move to Desire2Learn will be scaled over the next three terms. Spring 2011 will be the initial procedural and troubleshooting phase, while the Fall 2011 and Winter 2012 will see the migration away from ANGEL.

“Training in a variety of forms (videos, documentation, one-on-one and group sessions) will be provided to our LMS community. The project team will be working to minimize the impact on instructors, including the move of their course materials to the new system. Further details of the transition will be provided in a future email to instructors. An Open House will be announced shortly where representatives from Desire2Learn and the LMS Selection Committee will provide more information and address questions. In the meantime, please feel free to contact lms@ uwaterloo.ca with any questions.”

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