Interoperability and API Open standards based architecture Bruno

Interoperability and API Open, standards based architecture Bruno Van Haetsdaele Chief Architect

The following is intended to outline our general product direction. It is intended for information purposes only, and may not be incorporated into any contract. It is not a commitment to deliver any material, code, or functionality. The development, release, and timing of any features or functionality described for Wimba’s products remains at the sole discretion of Wimba. © 2008 Wimba – Proprietary and Confidential

What is interoperability? ISO/IEC 2382 -01 definition: “The capability to communicate, execute programs, or transfer data among various functional units in a What is interoperability ? manner that requires the user to have little or no knowledge of the unique characteristics of those units. ” © 2008 Wimba – Proprietary and Confidential

What does it mean for Wimba and our users ? © 2008 Wimba – Proprietary and Confidential

How to achieve interoperability ? Enablers: • Protocols • File formats • Standards • APIs • Open source © 2008 Wimba – Proprietary and Confidential Impact: • User experience • Flexibility • Lower costs Obstacles: • Innovation • Patents • Trade secrets • Coordination failures

Education Outline Web 2. 0 Rich Media Collaboration © 2008 Wimba – Proprietary and Confidential

Kiwi: a platform for the suite Greater interoperability inside the Wimba suite • Education • Share • Unified management © 2008 Wimba – Proprietary and Confidential • Wimba Voice into Wimba Create documents • Post a Wimba Classroom archive in the Podcaster • Associate a Voice Board to each Live Classroom

Kiwi Platform architecture Open and scalable Admin AR CM pronto assess classroom voice Users Messaging Media Pronto Assess Classroom Voice Courses Services Services Member. (XMPP) (iax/vnc) Database © 2008 Wimba – Proprietary and Confidential File System

Rich Media Collaboration Built using proven standards and projects • • XMPP Asterisk / IAX / SIP Xiph Speex, Theora MP 3 audio for Voice, Classroom • VNC © 2008 Wimba – Proprietary and Confidential

Leveraging the XMPP standards • XMPP is gaining momentum: – XMPP IETF approved standard since 2004 – Google. Talk native protocol – AOL is experimenting with XMPP – Apple i. Chat supports XMPP • Wimba is extending XMPP for Pronto and Classroom • XMPP Federation © 2008 Wimba – Proprietary and Confidential

Education standards • IMS Standards – – – LTI: Learning Tools Interoperability QTI: Question and Test Interoperability Enterprise Common Cartridge IA: Information Analytics • Advanced Distributed Learning: SCORM • Schools Interoperability Framework Associations © 2008 Wimba – Proprietary and Confidential

IMS Learning Tools Interoperability What is the user need ? • Instructors and students: – Easy navigation from the CMS to external applications – Single sign on – Deep integration in the course • System Administrators – Easy deployment and configuration – Robust integrations • Software developers – More time spent in innovations, less in © 2008 Wimba – Proprietary and Confidential

Are these needs met today ? Wimba CMS Integrations… • • • . NET Portal components C and Java Powerlinks Java Building Blocks Java Sakai portlets PHP Moodle modules • Wimba APIs © 2008 Wimba – Proprietary and Confidential

Learning Tools Interoperability IMS LTI defines: • • • Tool Producer contract Tool Consumer contract Web Services communication XML configuration Common CSS As easy as Facebook or Google Apps © 2008 Wimba – Proprietary and Confidential

IMS Learning Tools Interoperability What is the impact ? • • • Faster time to market Easier to upgrade integration functionality Increased robustness across versions of tool / cms Less effort in developing integrations, more in innovation Integration API for other CMS and more… © 2008 Wimba – Proprietary and Confidential

Collaboration Reporting APIs for Information analytics • Capture: – Usage / Adoption – Course Context usage – Instructor/Student interactions • Measure – Social network inside the course / school – Collaboration index – Student engagement • Improve – Student retention – Learning Outcome © 2008 Wimba – Proprietary and Confidential

Web 2. 0 APIs for 21 st century teaching and learning ? © 2008 Wimba – Proprietary and Confidential

Mashup example Geo location of Pronto users connected Friday, February 29 th at 11 am ET, based on IP addresses, using Google Maps and ip 2 location. com © 2008 Wimba – Proprietary and Confidential

Q&A Bruno Van Haetsdaele - bruno@wimba. com