LMS RFI Selection Criteria

R E Q U E S T F O R I N F O R M A T I O N ( R F I ) :

R F I # T G 1 1 - 0 6 / 1 1 8

T O P R E - Q U A L I F Y V E N D O R S I N T H E P R O V I S I O N O F A L E A R N I N G M A N A G E M E N T S Y S T E M F O R M C M A S T E R U N I V E R S I T Y

I S S U E D A T E : N O V E M B E R 1 3 T H , 2 0 0 6C L O S I N G D A T E : D E C E M B E R 1 5 T H , 2 0 0 6

© 2 0 0 6 L E A R N I N G T E C H N O L O G I E S R E S O U R C E C E N T R E ( L T R C )H T T P : / / W W W . L T R C . M C M A S T E R . C A

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section 1: Purpose and Content.................................................................2

SECTION 2: INSTRUCTIONS TO VENDORS.......................................................2

SECTION 3: EVALUATION AND AWARD............................................................2

SECTION 4: OVERVIEW - MCMASTER UNIVERSITY...........................................2

SECTION 5: VENDOR PRODUCT INFORMATION................................................2

SECTION 6: FEATURE AVAILABILITY................................................................2

© 2006 LTRC, MCMASTER UNIVERSITY 2

SECTION 1: PURPOSE AND CONTENT

The Learning Technologies Resource Centre (LTRC) of McMaster University invites qualified vendors to submit information for Learning Management Systems. The information submitted will empower the LTRC to fulfill their mandate to provide the best possible Learning Management System to meet the needs of the University’s academic community.

The intent of this RFI is firstly to acquire as much information about various Learning Management Systems as possible. Consequently, the evaluation of submitted information will allow the LTRC to pre-qualify and compare different systems with the eventual goal of adopting one system no later than September of 2007 for a term of approximately three to five years.

SECTION 2: INSTRUCTIONS TO VENDORS

This Request for Information has been generated by:

Learning Technologies Resource Centre McMaster University 1280 Main Street West TL B101 Hamilton ON L8S 4P5

2.1 Request for Information submissions will be accepted up to 12:00 p.m. ET on December 15th, 2006 at the office of


Email by attachment (see section 2.2): [email protected]

Submissions received after the above closing time and date will not be considered for evaluation and will be returned to the vendor.

2.2 A vendor may submit more than one Request for Information for more than one product. A hard copy must be submitted in a sealed package bearing the name and address of the vendor and the following clearly marked on the outside:

LMS RFI McMaster University - LTRC

Email submissions must be sent to [email protected] only if a hardcopy will follow.

No oral, telephone or fax submissions nor adjustment to the Request for Information submitted will be considered.

2.3 Information must be completed in accordance with the requirements of the Request for Information

document and no changes to submitted documents will be accepted after the closing date and time.


2.4 Technical questions regarding this Request for Information may be submitted in writing (fax, mail, in person or email only) to:

LTRC, [email protected] (fax: 905-526-0998) up to 4:00 pm ET, December 1st, 2006

2.5 In the event the vendor decides not to submit a Request for Information, the vendor is requested to advise the LTRC: [email protected].

2.6 General questions and communications regarding this Request for Information shall be directed in writing to:


Phone: (905) 525-9140 ext. 22480 Fax: (905) 526-0998 Email: [email protected]

No other representative of McMaster University may be contacted regarding this Request for Information. McMaster University accepts no responsibility for, and the vendor agrees not to rely upon, any verbal or written statements or representations from any persons, whether or not employed by McMaster University.

2.7 McMaster University's name, logo, crest, etc., shall not be used without the prior written consent of the

University.

2.8 McMaster University assumes no responsibility or liability for the adequacy, accuracy or completeness of any information provided in this Request for Information.

2.9 To the extent allowed by law, McMaster University shall not divulge the content of a submitted Request for

Information to the vendor’s competitors and other organizations that are not considered McMaster University departments, centres or institutions without the written consent of the vendor.

2.10 If any changes are made to this original document by the vendor without consulting the LTRC, the vendor

will be automatically disqualified from the process.

2.11 The vendor will not distribute this Request for Information to any organizations including the vendor’s current, past, and potential clients. The vendor will not make public or use for marketing purposes this Request for Information document or McMaster University’s call for information.


SECTION 3: EVALUATION AND AWARD

3.1 After the evaluation process has been completed, the LTRC of McMaster University intends to award a contract to the vendor whose LMS best meets the needs of McMaster’s academic community.

However, McMaster University is under no obligation to award any contract in whole or in part and the University reserves the right in its sole discretion to cancel this Request for Information process at any time before or after closing without providing reasons for such cancellation.

3.2 Selection Process

A project team has been established to oversee this project, produce and release this Request for Information and evaluate vendor responses.

It is highly recommended that all information submitted be as complete and accurate as possible.

While the total cost of the LMS is an important element in the eventual awarding of an LMS contract, it is not the only factor to be considered. All submissions will be evaluated according to the checkpoints and features presented in Sections 5 and 6 of this document. A request for proposals will be sent to selected vendors following a review of submitted information.

3.3 In order to obtain the most advantageous offer for McMaster University, the University reserves the right in

its sole discretion:

a) to request clarification and / or further information from one or more vendors after closing without becoming obligated to offer the same opportunity to all vendors; and

b) to enter into negotiations with one or more vendors without being obligated to negotiate with, or, offer the same opportunity to all vendors.

3.4 Vendors are advised to submit a complete Request for Information. Any waiver, clarification or negotiation will not be considered as an opportunity for vendors to correct errors in their submissions.

3.5 McMaster University shall not be responsible for any expenses or charges incurred by a vendor in preparing

the Request for Information submission, nor in providing any additional information considered necessary by McMaster for the evaluation of information.

3.6 McMaster University reserves the right in its sole discretion to amend this Request for Information at any

time prior to the closing date and vendors are urged to ensure they have received all addenda (if any) prior to submitting the Request for Information. Should McMaster University issue any changes to this Request for Information, McMaster University will endeavour to notify all vendors to whom the Request for Information has been issued.


SECTION 4: OVERVIEW - MCMASTER UNIVERSITY

McMaster is a full-service university whose purpose is the discovery, communication, and preservation of knowledge. In teaching, research, and scholarship, the University is committed to creativity, innovation, and excellence. Integrity, quality, and teamwork are valued in everything and the University’s goals are to inspire critical thinking, personal growth, and a passion for learning. McMaster’s vision is to achieve international distinction for creativity, innovation and excellence. With well-established strengths in health care, engineering, business, social sciences, science, and humanities research and education, the University offers both students and professors exciting and unique opportunities for research, education, and collaboration.

With a long-standing reputation as Canada's "most innovative" university, McMaster has pioneered a number of programs that have changed how professors teach and students learn. Pioneered at McMaster, problem-based-learning has now spread across North America as a preferred method of instructing undergraduate students.

Through its continued dedication to innovative education and ground-breaking research, the University has earned its reputation as one of the leading post-secondary institutions in Canada. McMaster continues in its commitment to be Canada's most student-centred research university.


SECTION 5: VENDOR PRODUCT INFORMATION

This document uses pre-defined form fields. Enter information in the shaded fields of the form. You can copy and paste information into the shaded fields. Note: you are not limited to the field size visible. The field size will increase to accommodate your entry. To move from field to field, use your mouse, the arrow keys or press Tab. Use your mouse or the spacebar to mark and unmark the checkboxes. If you have any technical problems filling out this form, please contact [email protected]

5.1 Vendor Product and Contact Information

A vendor may submit more than one Request for Information for more than one product. Please refer to Section 2.2 for the format of the final submission.

Product Name:

Version:

Company Name:

Contact Name:

Street Address:

City, State/Prov.:

Postal Code/ZIP Code:

Contact – Phone:

Contact – Email:

Contact – URL:

General Questions YES NODoes the vendor support a community of institutions similar in focus and student population to McMaster University?Does the vendor support strategic and tactical migration plans?Is the proposed vendor currently known to support more than 5 other reputable institutions?


SECTION 6: FEATURE AVAILABILITY

6.1 TermsCourse: The term “course” is used in Sections 6.2 and 6.3 to refer to any designated and

defined space in the system. In most cases, this will reflect a University-offered course. In some cases, this will reflect an organized space around a theme or a specific group of people not associated with a University-offered course.

Instructor:

The term “instructor” is used to refer to the “owner” of the defined space (course) or a user designated by the owner to have the permissions/ability to modify the space.

6.2 Course Management Features

Please indicate below whether or not each of the features/attributes is available. Features that are not listed but exist within your product should be included in the 'Additional Comments' area of each section. If you require more space, please attach an appendix to the end of this document clearly labeling the sections that are being expanded on. Section 6.3, Technical/Administrative Features, follows.

6.2.1 Content Development and Management

6.2.1a Design

Feature YES NOCreate entire course site without knowledge of HTML Edit HTML files online Multiple file uploads and/or drag-and-drop capabilities Customize look of entire course site (colour, font, layout)Cascading Style Sheet supportJavaScript compatibility Support of multimedia integration (text, audio, video) Support different languages Availability of templates containing design specifications for the course (colour, font, layout) Ability to customize the course away from the Institution’s default look or available styles (colour, font, layout)Create and use templates for contentInstructor can allow/disallow individuals or specific groups to modify the design of all or parts of the courseAdditional Comments:


6.2.1b General Course Management

Feature YES NOInstructor can back up and download a copy of the course Instructor can upload and restore a backup of their course spaceAbility to import and/or replace sections of courses or pagesSharing/Reusability: ability to share sections of the course with other online courses on the systemSharing/Reusability: ability to share files with other online courses on the systemAbility to export content and navigational structure from the LMS to a stand-alone application (e.g. XHTML, Flash modules, etc.)Ability to export content and navigational structure from the proposed LMS to another LMS Ability to import content and navigational structure from another LMS into the proposed LMS Allow multiple accounts to fully manage a single course space while maintaining individual account identitiesAbility to customize specific course sections for individual students or groups of students Ability to make specific sections of the course space accessible to the public without authenticationSet up FAQs for users within the course Set up FAQs for users across multiple coursesEasy creation of URL links Ability to drag and drop external links into a courseAbility for instructors to access content/link repository across multiple coursesAbility to link to/from different sections or modules of course material Content index built automatically Search capabilities for instructors and other users in the course Flexible Permissions: ability to show or not show sections of course material based on individual identification, group membership, user-defined criteria, completion of an activity (e.g. submission of assignments), performance on an activity (e.g. achieving 70% on a quiz) and/or date/timeInstructor can selectively assign specific users or groups (e.g. Instructional Assistants, TAs, students) the ability to modify all or parts of the courseInstructor can selectively assign specific users or groups (e.g. Instructional Assistants, TAs, students) the ability to manage the course as aboveAdditional Comments:


6.2.1c Application Integration

Feature YES NOIntegrated WYSIWYG HTML editorIntegration of an equation editor. If yes, please specify import/export formats:

MathMLOther:

Integrated link validation toolIntegrated 'Spellchecker'Integrated context sensitive online help for all usersIntegration of reference generator tools (e.g. Endnote) Integrated slide presentation applicationIntegrated accessibility checking tools to ensure that all aspects of course site are accessible to people with disabilitiesAdditional Comments:


6.2.2 Synchronous Communication

Feature YES NOAbility for all users to see who else is concurrently using the systemLive text-based chat (Instant Messaging) Live audio communication Live video communication Participants can save text-based chat sessions with date/participant detailsParticipants can save live audio communications with date/participant detailsParticipants can save live video presentations with date/participant detailsCreate and send dynamic URLs in text-based chat messagesFormat the text (colour, size, etc.) in text-based chat messagesUpload files during live text-based chat sessionAbility for the instructor to create chat rooms (titled by topic) accessible only to specific individuals or groups (private chat rooms) within the courseAbility for the instructor to create chat rooms (titled by topic) accessible to all users registered in the course (public chat rooms within a course)Ability for the instructor to create chat rooms (titled by topic) accessible to all users in the proposed LMS (public chat rooms for the entire LMS)Ability for the instructor to make chat rooms in a given course space accessible to users who are members of a different course spaceChats in public chat rooms are automatically transcribed and accessible to instructorsCreate moderated chat roomsAbility to send private messages to specific individuals during a chat sessionAbility to block a user from sending live messages during a chat sessionAbility to deny access to a specific user or groups of users to specific chat sessionsInstructor can selectively assign specific users or groups (e.g. Instructional Assistants, TAs, students) the ability to create and manage chat groups and sessions as aboveAbility for individuals in a private or public chat room to invite (call) other users into their chat sessionAbility for individuals to initiate a chat session with other users (outside of a designated chat room)Ability for users who are members of a given course space to initiate a chat session with other users who are members of a different course spaceA whiteboard for sharing text and visual (images) information in real timeA whiteboard that is integrated into the chat environment Whiteboard screen enlargement capabilities Save whiteboard contentsPrint whiteboard contents Additional Comments:


6.2.3 Asynchronous Communication

6.2.3a General Features for Private Communication and Threaded Discussions

Feature YES NOAdd attachments to messages Embed images and other media into messages Include formulae (equation editor) and special characters in messages Format the text (colour, size, etc.) in messages Embed URLs to locations outside the course environment into messages (e.g. a link to a library resource) Embed URLs to locations within the course (e.g. link to an assignment)Obtain history of who read what message and whenAutomatic marking of read/unread messages Additional Comments:

6.2.3b Private Communication

Feature YES NOAccess to a system-wide directory of usersPrivate address book functionalityImport/Export contact information to vCard formatExchange email with users who are members of a defined course spaceAbility for a user who is a member of one defined course space to exchange email with another user who is a member of a different course space (i.e. not in his/her defined course space)Send and receive email external to the proposed LMS system Create folders and sub-folders to manage messages Search messages Create/receive mail through rules/filters Attach a signature to a message Redirect messages Create email alias(es) Additional Comments:


6.2.3c Threaded Discussions

Feature YES NOCreate threaded discussion forums accessible to the entire user community Create threaded discussion forums accessible to the class Create threaded discussion forums accessible to specific groups of peopleCreate nested discussion forums Link to/from discussion forums from within course materials (e.g. link from assignment description to an assignment-specific discussion forum) Link between discussion forums Search, sort and manage messages in discussion forums Create moderated discussion groups Create discussion forums that allow anonymous postings Compile a selection of messages for printing, saving, archivingAbility to restrict attachments in specific discussion forumsAbility to restrict/limit file size of attachments in specific discussion forumsAbility to rate discussion postingsAbility for users to create their own identities (e.g. create and upload an avatar)Grading feature tied into the gradebook/classlistHide private discussion forums from those who are not membersFlexible access permissions: ability to restrict or allow access to discussion forums based on individual identification, group membership, user-defined criteria, completion of an activity (e.g. submission of assignments), performance on an activity (e.g. achieving 70% on a quiz) and/or date/timeFlexible privilege permissions: ability to allow different individuals or groups different abilities within specific discussion forums: e.g. for a specific forum: allow one group to view, read, post, reply; allow another group to only view and readInstructor can selectively assign specific users or groups (e.g. Instructional Assistants, TAs, students) the ability to create and/or manage discussion forums as aboveAdditional Comments:


6.2.3d Announcements

Feature YES NOSystem-wide news/announcements/bulletin board functionality Course-wide news/announcements (e.g. student’s entry page to the system and/or to each course) Create and use templates containing design specifications for announcements (colour, font, layout) Set expiry settings for announcements Archive announcements Make RSS feeds of announcements available external to the LMSFlexible permissions: ability to show or not show announcements based on individual identification, group membership, user-defined criteria, completion of an activity (e.g. submission of assignments), performance on an activity (e.g. achieving 70% on a quiz) and/or date/timeInstructor can selectively assign specific users or groups (e.g. Instructional Assistants, TAs, students) the ability to create and/or manage announcements as aboveAdditional Comments:


6.2.4 User Management

6.2.4a Class Lists

Feature YES NOClass list feature to manage student enrolment in a given LMS course spaceAbility for the instructor of a course space to add users to the class listAbility for the instructor of a course space to provide access to specific users to their courseAbility for the instructor of a course space to permanently remove access of specific users from their courseAbility for the instructor of a course space to temporarily remove access of specific users from their courseAbility for instructors to retain/restore activity data for users that have been removed from their course (e.g. retain/restore grades, discussion submissions, assessments)Ability add customized student information to class listClass lists have easy search and sorting featuresAbility to export the class list to a reasonable data format (CSV, TXT, XLS, etc.)Instructor can selectively assign specific users or groups (e.g. Instructional Assistants, TAs) the ability to manipulate class list data and/or add/remove users to the course spaceAdditional Comments:

6.2.4b User Groups

Feature YES NOAbility to create groupsAbility to create subgroupsTutorial/group self-enrolment systemCreate groups that consist of individuals across course spacesInstructor can selectively assign specific users or groups the ability to manage groups as aboveAdditional Comments:


6.2.4c Gradebook

Feature YES NOClass gradebook functionalityAbility to import data (e.g. CSV, TXT, XLS) into the gradebookAbility to export the gradebook to a reasonable data format (CSV, TXT, XLS, etc.)Ability to selectively export the gradebook content directly to the Registrar’s or Student Information SystemAbility to assign grades to groups of users as defined in 6.2.4bPlease specify the types of grading options available:

NumericalTextLetter GradeCalculated (e.g. calculation of multiple grades using a formula function)Other:

Administrator can set defaults for Letter Grades (if applicable)Store grades from an assessment not generated within the system (e.g. paper hand-in)Automatic statistics generation for numerical entriesReport generation capability for non-numerical entriesSelectively display grades to studentsTime release grades to studentsRelease class statistics to studentsInstructor can selectively assign specific users or groups (e.g. Instructional Assistants, TAs) the ability to manage the gradebook as aboveAdditional Comments:


6.2.4d Reports

Feature YES NOHistory of login to the LMSHistory of login to the courseHistory of activities performed by usersAbility to view breakdown of time spent on page/topic/section/activity for each studentReports include numerical dataReports include graphical dataEasy export (to Excel, SPSS, text files, etc.)Instructor can selectively assign specific users or groups the ability to view user history and view/export reports as aboveAdditional Comments:


6.2.5 Assignment Submission

Feature YES NOSecure online assignment submission or dropbox Functionality to provide assignment overview and detailsProvide links to other course areas from the assignment overview/detailsUpload assignment-specific files for the entire class listUpload assignment-specific files visible only to specific users/groups Assign different assignments randomly to different users/groupsSet assignment due datesFlexibility to accept late submissionsFunctionality for auto-response to student to acknowledge submission Ability to accept multiple submissions over time for a single assignmentAbility to check assignments with plagiarism detection tools Grading of individual assignments tied to a course gradebook or class listGrading of group assignments reflected in course gradebook or class listBulk export of student submissions Provision for individual assignment feedbackAbility to upload individual assignment solutions to individual students For group assignments: group/peer feedback featureFor group assignments: activity log featureFlexible permissions: ability to restrict or allow access to submit assignments based on individual identification, group membership, user-defined criteria, completion of an activity (e.g. submission of assignments), performance on an activity (e.g. achieving 70% on a quiz) and/or date/timeInstructor can selectively assign specific users or groups the ability to create assignments, download and grade student assignment submissions, and/or manage assignments as aboveAdditional Comments:


6.2.6 Quizzes/Surveys

6.2.6a Question Types

Feature YES NOMultiple choice (one or more answers) Matching (text and/or images) Drag and drop Ordering CalculatedDiagram labeling Short answer (text entry) Likert Scale (automatic) True/False Yes/No Long (text) answer Fill in the blankOther: Additional Comments:


6.2.6b Question/Answer Characteristics

Feature YES NOCreate question templatesQuestions can be formatted in XHTMLQuestions can be formatted in plain textStudent responses to questions can be formatted in XHTMLStudent responses to questions can be formatted in plain textAbility to include multimedia (graphics, audio, video) into questions Integration of an equation editor for questions, student answers, and feedbackCreate questions with multiple parts (e.g. Question 1, part a., part b.)Cascading questions: The answer submitted for one question is carried forward to the subsequent question (e.g. student’s answer for question 1 becomes a variable in question 2)Set acceptable range for grading numerical responses Calculation of significant digits (for calculation questions) Calculation questions: grade correct units Feedback responses for individual answers General feedback response for the questionFeedback responses can be linked to sections of the course (e.g. link to specific discussion forums or link to specific content) Ability to add custom user-defined descriptions to questions (e.g. for evaluation and organization purposes)Additional Comments:


6.2.6c Quiz/Survey Design

Feature YES NOAdd custom headers and footers into quiz/surveyAbility to add custom user-defined descriptions to quizzes/surveys (e.g. for evaluation and organization purposes)Create question sets for random selection of questions Create and analyze voting formsCreate self and peer evaluations Randomize answers Randomize order of questions For any given question, the question displayed to the student is randomly picked from a question set of more than one questionForce completion of selected questions before a quiz/survey can be submittedFlexibility for Repetition/Retest for entire quiz/surveyStudents can receive mark and feedback for one question within a quiz before being presented with the next questionAbility to tie in performance logic to questions (e.g. if question 1 is answered incorrectly, give alternate question as next question; if question 1 is answered correctly, give question 2 as next question).Weighted answers for partial credit Set time restrictions Built-in timer for timed tests Security: lock down quizzes/surveys to a range of IP addresses Security: lock down quizzes/surveys by password Create anonymous surveys Manual marking of quizzesAutomatic marking of quizzesQuiz scores tied to course gradebook or class listFor multiple quiz attempts, flexibility for final quiz score calculation (e.g. average of all attempts, best score of all attempts, only the last attempt, etc.)Ability to change grading requirements and force remark of quizzes takenAbility to override automatic grading for specific individualsFlexible permissions: ability to restrict or allow access to quizzes/surveys based on individual identification, group membership, user-defined criteria, completion of an activity (e.g. submission of assignments), performance on an activity (e.g. achieving 70% on a quiz) and/or date/timeInstructor can selectively assign specific users or groups the ability to create and/or manage quizzes/surveys as aboveAdditional Comments:

6.2.6d Creation/Sources

Feature YES NOShare questions and quizzes within and between courses (or course creators)


Questions can be organized into categories and sub-categoriesQuestion bank utility Easy questions search Create questions by importing text files Download questions into a database/Excel file/text file/etc. Create question alternates from one question Compatible with third-party quiz creation tools (e.g. Respondus)Additional Comments:

6.2.6e Quiz/Survey Results

Feature YES NOComprehensive quiz and survey reportingView which quizzes have been started by whom and which are in progressView whether surveys are in progress while maintaining anonymityAbility to select which user personal information defined in the (class list or gradebook) is displayed with the quiz/survey results (e.g. show the tutorial group membership with the quiz/survey results)Quiz analysis tools: e.g. item analysis Survey results can be selectively released to specific users/groupsNumerical reports Graphical reportsDownload class reports and analysisDownload individual reports and analysis Feedback Flexibility: selectively decide what results students can see and what (e.g. test results and details of test: correct answers, feedback, incorrect answers, quiz and question statistics, etc.)Instructor can selectively assign specific users or groups the ability to view reportsAdditional Comments:


6.2.7 Personal and Collaboration Space

Feature YES NOInstructor can assign individual users or groups of users space within a course to work collaboratively on documents and filesInstructor can assign individual users or groups of users space that spans multiple courses to work collaboratively on documents and filesUsers can post online resumes and personal websites within a course Users can post online resumes and personal websites independent of their membership in any courseBlog/Journaling functionality

Users can create blog/journal entries that are restricted to a courseUsers can create blog/journal entries that are restricted to the systemUsers can create blog/journal entries that to public on the WebUsers can selectively assign who can view their blog/journal entries (by specific users/groups/course/multiple courses)Users can selectively assign co-authors to their blogs/journals (by specific users/groups/course/multiple courses)Blogs/Journals can integrate with calendar functionBlog/Journal entries are date/time stampedUsers can personalize/customize look of their blogs/journalsUsers can organize and archive blog/journal entriesUsers can allow comments on blog/journal entriesComments posted to a blog/journal can be screened/moderated for approval before appearingUsers can incorporate links to other blogs/journals in the systemUsers can incorporate links to other blogs/journals external to the

systemUsers can search blogs/journals for specific entriesRSS feeds available for blogs/journalsGrading feature tied into the gradebook/classlist

Wiki functionalityGrading feature tied into the gradebook/classlist

Users can customize their login entry interface Students in a given course can customize their course interface (add/remove items, look & feel) Users can receive and organize RSS feedsFor group collaboration: group/peer feedback featureFor group collaboration: activity log featureAdditional Comments:

6.2.8 Calendar/Scheduler

Feature YES NO


Event calendar functionality within a course spaceEvent calendar functionality that spans multiple course spacesScheduler functionality within a course spaceScheduler functionality that spans multiple course spacesAdd expiry dates to event entriesLink to/from calendar/scheduler entries from within course materials (e.g. link from calendar entry to assignment description or an assignment specific discussion forum)Embed external URL links in calendar/scheduler entries Search calendar/scheduler entriesCompile selected entries for print/downloadSynchronization with personal hand-held devicesFlexible Permissions: Can show/not show calendar/scheduler entries based on individual identification, group membership, user-defined criteria, completion of an activity (e.g. submission of assignments), performance on an activity (e.g. achieving 70% on a quiz) and/or date/timeInstructor can selectively assign specific users (or groups) the ability to add/modify calendar/scheduler entriesUsers have access to a personal event calendar within the proposed LMSUsers have access to a personal scheduler within the proposed LMSAdministrator has the ability to push calendar event entries to specific users/groups/coursesExport to iCalendar formatExport to vCalendar formatAdditional Comments:


6.2.9 Library-Specific Functionality

Feature YES NODoes the proposed system support the Open Archives Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting (OAI-PMH)?Does the proposed system support OpenURL to support mediated linking from information resources to library services?Does the system support the open access model?How does the system clear/handle copyright?Please specify the metadata standards supported by the proposed system:

How does the proposed LMS interact with Library systems based on standards addressed by the Digital Library Initiatives? Please respond to the following reports:

A. A Study of the Interoperation of Learning Management and Library Information Systems, (http://www.diglib.org/pubs/dlf100/)

B. IMS Digital Repositories Specification(http://www.imsglobal.org/digitalrepositories/index.html)

C. Fedora Architecture (http://fedora.info/)

Additional Comments:

6.2.10 Accessibility Features

Feature YES NOAllow/disallow users to override normal page colors with a high-contrast schemeProvision of keystroke alternativesIntegration with screen readersDo all system-generated web pages meet the W3C/WAI Priority 1 accessibility checkpoints?Additional Comments:


https://univmail.cis.mcmaster.ca/Redirect/fedora.info/

6.3 Technical/Administrative Features

Please indicate below whether or not each of the features/attributes is available. Features that are not listed but exist within your product should be included in the 'Additional Comments' area of each section. If you require more space, please attach an appendix to the end of this document clearly labeling the sections for which are being expanded on.

6.3.1 Training and Support

Feature YES NODoes the proposed vendor offer a solution for the provision of 24/7 telephone support? If yes, please specify for which group such support is provided:

AdministratorsInstructorsOther users (e.g. students)

Does the proposed vendor offer a solution for the provision of ticketed, 24/7 email support? If yes, please specify for which group such support is provided:

AdministratorsInstructorsOther users (e.g. students)

Does the proposed vendor provide training for server systems management? If yes, please specify the type of training offered:

Training at the client’s siteTraining at the vendor’s site

Does the proposed vendor provide training for LMS administrators? If yes, please specify the type of training offered:

Training at the client’s siteTraining at the vendor’s siteOn-line training



6.3.2 Server Instances

Feature YES NOCreate different login screens with different branding/identity/feelCreate different server instances with totally separate administrators and settings for each instance (e.g. one server instance for Undergraduate Education and one server instance for Graduate Education)For each server instance, allow separate sub-identities to have a different look and feel (e.g. A server instance for Undergraduate Education could have a different look for each of the Faculties at the University) For each server instance, allow separate sub-identities to have different settings (e.g. A server instance for Undergraduate Education could have different user/group/course settings for each of the Faculties at the University)For each server instance, allow separate sub-identities to have their own administrators (e.g. A server instance for Undergraduate Education could have different administrators to manage users/groups/courses for each of the Faculties at the University)For each server instance, allow separate sub-identities to have their own private discussions (e.g. A server instance for Undergraduate Education could have discussion forums that are accessible to only those registered in their respective Faculty)Additional Comments:


6.3.3 Technical Architecture/Management

6.3.3a General Technical Management Features

Feature YES NOPlease specify the version of supported standards below (and if applicable)IMS Version: SCORM Version: AICC Version: RSS Version: Other: Version: Other: Version: Other: Version: When system patches are applied, what is the rollback procedure?

When system patches are applied, is there a detailed patch log?When system patches are applied, is there an automated script to perform the rollback?Additional Comments:

6.3.3b Backups and Disaster Recovery

Feature YES NOAbility to back up entire system for bare-metal recoveryAbility to back up internal database/metadata for recoveryAbility to pause/take snapshots for live backups of the proposed systemWhich of the following levels of back ups and restores are possible:

Server Instance level (if applicable)Course levelUser level (e.g. restoration of user profile and associated activity/files on the system)Components within the course (e.g. restoring a corrupt gradebook or question database)


6.3.3c Server Platforms

Feature YES NOPlease specify the supported operating system platforms (including versions):


Does the proposed system support a separation of the application and database tiers?Please specify the supported database architectures (including versions):


6.3.3d Client Platform

Feature YES NOCan the proposed system use a non web browser client?

Please provide a list of all supported operating systems for the client (including versions):

Can the proposed system use a web browser client?Please provide a list of all supported web browsers (including versions):



6.3.3e Scalability

Feature NumberPlease indicate the maximum number for each of the following:

User accounts supported by the system

Concurrent users supported by the system

Courses (as per the definition in Section 6.1)

User accounts per course

Course size (GB)

Feature YES NODoes the proposed system support software load balancing? If yes, what type:

Active/ActiveActive/Passive

Does the proposed system support hardware load balancing? If yes, what type:

Active/ActiveActive/Passive


6.3.3f Authentication/Access/Security

Feature YES NOEncryption for authentication/login

Please specify encryption algorithm(s) and key length(s):

Encryption for information exchange over the network If different from authentication/login, please specify encryption algorithm(s) and key length(s):

Selective ability to store data in an encrypted format. If yes, What cryptographic algorithms are supported?

What key lengths are supported?

How are the keys managed?

Allow internal authentication (i.e. user accounts for access/authentication are stored and managed locally)

Internal authentication database (if applicable) uses non-reversible encryption to store passwordsForce password change at next login by users/groups


Feature YES NOBatch set force password change flagForce users to change their password after a certain number of daysSet length restrictions for passwordsSet requirements for password complexity (e.g. require mixed case, numbers, special characters)Set password history

Allow external authentication Via LDAP Via MIT Kerberos V5 KDC Via Microsoft Active Directory Other: Allow fallback authentication (e.g. authentication via Kerberos fails, falls back to another external or internal authentication)Maximum number of authentication fallbacks:

If an external authentication service is used, are passwords cached locally in the event that the external service is not available?URL redirect on login failure URL redirect on log out URL redirect if main application is down Supports single-sign-onSupports content filtering

Integrate with antivirus softwareIntegrate with spam filtering servicesManual definition of filter rulesAllow/disallow file types based on extension or MIME typeOther:

What firewall rules are required for the proposed system to operate (e.g. port numbers and protocols used)?

What security auditing features are available (e.g. tracking and reporting use of administrative privileges)?


6.3.3g System Integration

Feature YES NOCompatible with SUN Access Manager Plug-in: If yes, specify version:

Full functioning interface with JSR 168 portlet standardsAuthenticate requests from third-party applications and direct users to a specific course or section within the proposed LMS (i.e. deep linking)Access third-party applications from within the proposed LMS without requiring users to log in separately to the third-party application (provided that the third-party application can also support this process)Established methodologies for integration with reference generator tools


Translate data to and from different formats (IMS-compliant and otherwise) for exchange with third-party applicationsEstablished methodologies for integration with other third-party applications (e.g. Turnitin, Horizon Wimba, etc.) Established methodologies for integration/gateway with other university systems (Shibboleth, federated authentication and authorization) Integrated link validation tool and reporting to course ownersPodcasting support/functionalityAdditional Comments:


6.3.4 Application Administration

Unless otherwise stated, the following sections refer to the Administrator’s ability within the proposed LMS.

6.3.4a Course Management

Feature YES NOSupports SOA for course management via WS-Reliable Messaging Integration through XML standard interfacesManage cross-listed courses Create/modify/delete/restore courses via a batch processCategorize courses into groups (customized titles)Categorize courses into subgroups (customized titles)

Maximum number of subgroups that can be created:

Hide/show courses based on system-defined categoriesHide/show courses based on user-defined categoriesHide/show courses based on membership in specific user groupsSearch for specific courses by group/subgroup/owner/name/date created/etc.Automatic creation of a course indexFlexibility to show/not show index of courses to selected groups/individualsFlexibility to show/not show groups or subgroups of courses to selected groups/individualsManage object repository for sharing learning objectsAdditional Comments:

The term “course” throughout this document is used as per the definition in Section 6.1


6.3.4b Course Settings

Feature YES NOAllow/disallow course owners to make course backupsAllow/disallow course owners to customize the course interface (add/remove items, look & feel) Allow/disallow use of WYSIWYG HTML editors Create customized help wizards for course owners/instructors Ability to set permissions for settings above based on group membership (e.g. group 1 can make course backups, but group 2 cannot)Allow/disallow the use of specific tools/features (in Section 6.2) within specific coursesAllow/disallow the use of specific tools/features (in Section 6.2) within specific course categories/sub-categoriesAllow/disallow the use of specific tools/features (in Section 6.2) by user group membership to (e.g. any member of group 1 regardless of which course they are enrolled in can modify the class list/gradebook; any member of group 2 regardless of which course they are enrolled in cannot modify the class list/gradebook)Set disk usage limit for all coursesSet disk usage limit for any specific course category/sub-categorySet disk usage limit by user group membership (e.g. a course owned by a member of group 1 has a disk usage limit of 1 GB for the course; a course owned by a member of group 2 has a disk usage limit of 2 GB for the course)Ability to restrict file size of attachments for all discussion forums and private communication by specific course/course category/sub-categoryAllow/disallow an owner of a course to override settings/permissions set by the AdministratorUser/group permissions and settings are inherited from parent groupsAdditional Comments:


6.3.4c User Management

Feature YES NOReceive/process event-driven data from the Registrar’s office when student personal information or enrolment changesCreate/modify/delete user groups and group memberships via a batch processCreate/modify/delete group authorization and permissions (what they can do on the system) via a batch process Batch manage changes in user data (e.g. changes in user personal information)Flexible Permissions: allow/disallow individuals/groups to add/modify user accounts Flexible Permissions: allow/disallow individuals/groups to add/modify user settings Flexible Permissions: allow/disallow individuals/groups to add/delete user enrolment to groups/courses Allow/disallow self enrolment to groupsAllow/disallow self enrolment to coursesSet disk usage quota per user Set disk usage quota per group Ability to restrict file size of attachments for all discussion forums and private communication by user and/or user groupFlexibility on how user information is displayed to other users on the system (e.g. in directory listing, in class list, in private communications, etc.)Allow/disallow specific user groups to override settings/permissions set by the AdministratorUser permissions and settings are inherited from parent groupsAdditional Comments:


6.3.4d User Views

Feature YES NOCreate/modify different interfaces for different user groups

For the login pageFor the entry page after loginFor courses

Ability for users to view external RSS feedsAbility for the administrator to allow/disallow users/groups to view external RSS feedsFlexible Permissions: assign individuals/groups to manage interface for sub-identities (as in Section 6.3.2), if applicable Create system-wide calendar accessible to all usersCreate group-specific calendars accessible only to users who belong to the specific group irrespective of which course they are registered inAllow/disallow users to subscribe (view or not view) to calendars (e.g. view/not view the student club calendar)Create system-wide discussion forums accessible to all usersCreate group discussion forums accessible only to users who belong to the specific group irrespective of which course they are registered inAllow/disallow users to subscribe (view or not view) to discussion forums (e.g. view/not view the student club discussion forum)Create system-wide announcements accessible to all usersCreate user-group-specific announcements accessible only to users who belong to the specific group irrespective of which course they are registered inCreate course category/sub-category specific announcements Allow/disallow users to subscribe (view or not view) to announcements (e.g. view/not view the student club announcement)Create system-wide quizzes/surveys accessible to all usersCreate user group quizzes/surveys accessible only to users who belong to the specific group irrespective of which course they are registered inAllow/disallow users to subscribe (view or not view) to quizzes/surveys (e.g. view/not view the student club surveys)Users have ability to bookmark a ‘page’ within the course/systemRemove individuals or groups from the system directory viewUser view settings are inherited from parent settingsAdditional Comments:


6.3.4e Reporting

Feature YES NOPerform searches by user/group/course identification Usage, login, activity report by user/group/activity/courseNumerical outputGraphical outputAbility to download reports Current real-time usage statistics as aboveReporting on LMS service availability/uptimeIn the event of a crash, does the proposed system dump a stack trace?Additional Comments:

6.3.4f User Training

Feature YES NOLearning curve for novice end users is less than 2 hoursThe vendor provides packaged training materials for users that can be customized for the local implementationAdditional Comments:

6.4 Additional Information Please provide any additional information that you feel should be considered during our evaluation of your product.


LMS RFI Selection Criteria

Documents

disk usage

dateparticipant

override settingspermissions

web browser

public chat

create chat

add custom

reasonable