We feel, and hope you agree, that waking up at 2 in the morning to handle a learning module issue is not always as fun as it sounds. To keep our phones quite at 2am, we always check our modules to make sure the required compliance is working properly.

Whether it is a custom HTML/HTML5 or Flash based course or a course built from one of the many packages available (Storyline, Captivate, Lectora, etc.), it is always important to test SCORM, AICC, and the new Tin Can API compliant modules and make sure they work properly. This includes, for a SCORM compliant module for instance, the ZIP file and manifest are prepared properly, the  calls and gets are initializing the module and pulling in data and sending out data  (user info, location/bookmark, completion, status, attempts, language, suspended data), and that the data is configured the way you need (setting the user as complete/incomplete, passed, and/or sending specific score information).

By the time we test a module, we have documented our client’s requirements. We will use this as a checklist. We have several Learning Management Systems (LMS) available to us for testing, usually including our client’s LMS, which is the best way to make sure there are no problems. If you need a quick and free way to test your modules we recommend SCORM Cloud.

SCORM Cloud is a fantastic magical site that lets your module run the gauntlet. Use this site to upload your module (SCORM, AICC, or Tin Can API) and find out how well it works…or doesn’t. You can launch your module, use it as your learner would, check the state of the data, adjust properties to fit the final LMS configuration, and re-upload your module with fixes to continue testing until the module fits the requirements checklist.