SCORM Cloud vs. Learning Management System (LMS)

Do I need SCORM Cloud or an LMS?

This is a tough question to answer as it depends on your requirements. Since there is such a wide array of learning systems available on the market, you’ll want to start by identifying what you need your training application to do. Then, compare those needs with the capabilities outlined by SCORM Cloud and most LMSs below.

While we have worked with hundreds of learning systems and all of the eLearning standards, we can’t begin to identify what software will best fit your needs. So instead, we’ve identified SCORM Cloud’s capabilities to help you decide if it does enough.

If you’re not sure whether SCORM Cloud is right for you, that’s okay. You can see for yourself by signing up for a free trial and experimenting today.

What is SCORM Cloud and what does it do?

SCORM Cloud is a SaaS training delivery platform that hosts your eLearning content (SCORM, xAPI, AICC and cmi5) and takes advantage of the following features right out of the box:

• Test your content to make sure your courses will play as expected by learners
• Deliver your training courses directly to learners using links or emails
• Share access to your eLearning courses with third-party systems
• Track usage with built-in reporting tools that help you identify who is taking what courses and dig in to question-level course analytics
• Use an ADL-conformant Learning Record Store (LRS)

What can an LMS do that SCORM Cloud can’t?

The common features you won’t find in SCORM Cloud but you will find in many LMSs or next generation learning platforms include:

• Customized learner management
• Built-in content libraries
• Learning paths
• Competency management tools
• Assignment management tools
• Certificate generation
• Enrollment approval workflow
• Instructor-led training support
• e-Commerce capabilities for course enrollments
• Skills gap analysis
• Prerequisites and equivalencies management tools
• Forums where learners can collaborate
• “Grade books” for keeping track of online and offline grades/scores
• Calendar integration and scheduling
• Gamification

What if I already have a learning platform but it doesn’t support SCORM?

If you want your pre-existing learning platform to support SCORM or xAPI, we may be able to help them implement the standards. Get in touch to see what we can do.

If you want to continue using your LMS as is, but you still need a way to deliver your SCORM courses, you can always sign up for a SCORM Cloud account to supplement your existing application. We have plenty of customers who use an LMS and SCORM Cloud, with each eLearning platform addressing a specific need.

If you are migrating from one LMS from another, SCORM Cloud can come in handy. Use SCORM Cloud to provide the just-in-time training you need while you wait for the new system to be set up.