How To Use 1EdTech Documents and Get Involved

The 1EdTech Consortium (1EdTech GLC) invites interested parties and organizations to engage with the 1EdTech GLC Public community. Our goal is widespread, mainstream use of learning technology interoperability standards across the globe, and to develop systems and services to accelerate adoption. Please contact us if you have some ideas on how 1EdTech GLC can improve its policies and procedures to achieve this end.

The following paragraphs describe how to use the 1EdTech Consortium (1EdTech GLC) published documents, including descriptions of the intent of the usage license and copyright legends. The license and usage legends may evolve over time based on the desires of the 1EdTech GLC Members and the needs of the global community of users of 1EdTech GLC works.

1. Background - Open Interoperability Standards
   

   Sometimes there is confusion of the term 'open' as used in the world of interoperability standards especially in comparison to 'open source' software. Whereas a typical and desired feature of open source software is customization, this is not a desired feature in an interface or data specification that is to be used for enforcing interoperability. Whereas some implementers of interoperability specifications may wish to experiment by customizing, the large majority want assurances that if they implement the standard that they will achieve interoperability. 'Open' in the context of interoperability standards therefore means openly available to those who wish to implement to achieve interoperability.

2. Background - The Role of 1EdTech GLC
   

   1EdTech GLC is a membership organization that has its primary responsibility to its members. The most important goal of 1EdTech GLC work is to enable an environment of interoperability based on the investment made by the 1EdTech GLC members. Therefore, 1EdTech GLC policies and procedures purposely encourage usage of 1EdTech GLC work in a manner that is consistent with achieving the interoperability desired by those who have invested in the 1EdTech GLC work. However, 1EdTech GLC also has as a priority the goal of enabling innovation via the usage of 1EdTech GLC work. Therefore, 1EdTech GLC attempts to represent in its policies and procedures the ability for 1EdTech GLC work to be used as the basis for research into learning systems and the interoperability thereof.

3. Purpose of 1EdTech GLC Copyrights and License
   

   The purpose of 1EdTech GLC copyrights and license is for the worldwide learning community to benefit from 1EdTech GLC work, while providing incentives for those organizations using 1EdTech GLC work to engage in and give back to the 1EdTech GLC public community. This ensures that the work of 1EdTech GLC is vital and can be maintained and evolved for the further benefit of the worldwide community. Many standards organizations issue only a standard copyright, but, unfortunately a simple copyright does not grant any rights whatsoever. In fact, it is the addition of the legends and license that grant explicit use rights that cannot be revoked going forward. 1EdTech GLC takes this extra step so that users can be clear on their rights. Comments on how to improve the 1EdTech GLC copyrights and license are welcome from all parties.

4. Availability
   

   1EdTech GLC documents are free in electronic format. They are published on the 1EdTech GLC web site (http://www.imsglobal.org/) under the "Developers" heading or http://www.imsglobal.org/specifications.html. All 1EdTech GLC work eventually becomes public but access to work in process is for Members and Affiliates only. Public release is made when sufficient quality is achieved through implementations, testing, etc. 1EdTech GLC believes that public release of a standard in a premature state can do more damage than good in building a stable and innovative marketplace.

5. Review and comment on 1EdTech GLC documents
   

   All individuals and organizations are invited to provide comments on 1EdTech specifications through the 1EdTech GLC public forums . In addition, there are public comment periods on specifications under development in the public draft stage of development. 1EdTech GLC also submits documents for formal review and comment to various other organizations involved in learning standards development.

6. Reference to 1EdTech GLC documents
   

   It is very easy to give proper attribution for 1EdTech GLC work that you might need to reference in your work. 1EdTech GLC recommends this as being the easiest way to incorporate 1EdTech GLC materials into your work. Incorporation by reference enables your organization to make use of 1EdTech GLC work while pointing the users of your documents back to 1EdTech so that 1EdTech can remain vital and supportive. To incorporate by reference, simply cite the document name(s), URL(s) for online access and download and the page numbers - as you would any other online source materials or published works. Note that all 1EdTech specifications and documents are available for download from a single URL specificationdownload.cfm. So for instance, if referencing the entire Learning Information Package document set, you would indicate in a footnote or bibliography:

   1EdTech Learner Information Package, Version 1.0.1 Final Specification, 1EdTech Consortium, January 2005, http://www.imsglobal.org/specificationdownload.cfm and http://www.imsglobal.org/profiles/index.html.

   If you are referencing a specific piece of text in a document, such as the Learner Information Best Practices Guide, you simply add the page reference(s). Such a citation may look like this:

   1EdTech Learner Information Best Practices and Implementation Guide Final Specification Version 1.0, 1EdTech Consortium, March 2001, pp 7-8, http://www.imsglobal.org/specificationdownload.cfm and http://www.imsglobal.org/profiles/lipbest01.html

7. Distribution of 1EdTech GLC documents
   

   Any individual or organization can distribute 1EdTech GLC documents as is. The potential distributor simply needs to fill out an online form to become a registered licensee. It is the same process required for downloading an 1EdTech document at the following URL: http://www.imsglobal.org/specificationdownload.cfm

   Knowing who desires to distribute 1EdTech GLC work helps build a vital 1EdTech GLC public community.

8. Development of derivative specifications or other documents from specifications, best practices, or other documents published by 1EdTech GLC
   

   Development of derivative works from 1EdTech GLC work is encouraged as long as proper attribution, including detailed citations as described in #6 above are included. However, 1EdTech GLC does not automatically grant permission to distribute derivative works in any form other than limited distribution for research and development, non-commercial use. For those wishing to develop derivative works for distribution or commercial use, a legal agreement must be reached with 1EdTech GLC. The reason is to avoid confusion in the marketplace with respect to what is the 1EdTech GLC standard for interoperability. Normally, this should only impact other specifications and standards bodies, and not those implementing products or services using the specifications. 1EdTech GLC has productive relationships with many other standards organizations. If you or your organization desire to create a document for publication that contains derivative works created from 1EdTech published materials for distribution, please contact the 1EdTech GLC COO or CEO with your request as early as possible to ensure that such an agreement can be reached. Since 1EdTech GLC is the maintainer and arbiter of interoperability of its work, 1EdTech GLC may request that an official 1EdTech GLC update be performed to obtain consistency with the derivative work prior to any distribution. It will depend on the scope in terms of regional and industry segments covered by the derivative work. If the scope is relatively narrow, distribution without achievement of consistency with official 1EdTech GLC specifications may be granted. If the scope is broad, 1EdTech GLC will require that consistency is achieved through the 1EdTech GLC process. Distribution of derivative works through standards bodies must also be approved by the 1EdTech GLC membership on a case by case basis.

9. Development of application profiles or reference models of 1EdTech GLC specifications
   

   1EdTech GLC invites organizations from around the world to customize 1EdTech GLC specifications for regional or vertical market needs. 1EdTech GLC has implemented a recommended process for creation of application profiles and an application profile registry for open sharing of profiles. The tools provided by 1EdTech GLC automatically check for consistency with the original 1EdTech GLC specifications. 1EdTech GLC requires that derivations of the 1EdTech GLC generated bindings (the XML Binding Specification document in each document set) be registered for examination by the public and 1EdTech GLC members and Affiliates. 

10. Development of products implementing 1EdTech GLC specifications
    

    Any individual or organization can develop products implementing the 1EdTech GLC specifications, subject to any third-party licensing arrangements stipulated in the specifications (it is possible that a third party organization may have a written stated claim of a license for use of a specification - if so, this is included in the specification). The product implementer simply needs to fill out an online form to become a registered licensee. It is the same process required for downloading an 1EdTech document at the following URL: http://www.imsglobal.org/specificationdownload.cfm

    Knowing who is implementing 1EdTech GLC work helps 1EdTech GLC support the implementers and build a vital 1EdTech GLC public community.

11. Development of consistency or conformance testing tools for 1EdTech GLC specifications
    1EdTech GLC member organizations hold 1EdTech GLC accountable for enabling interoperability through 1EdTech GLC specifications and processes. Therefore, 1EdTech GLC reserves the sole right to approve conformance testing tools or programs for 1EdTech GLC specifications and derivative works for distribution or commercial purposes. However, these rights may be licensed to other parties in a manner similar to granting copyright permission to derivative works described in #8 above. Please contact the 1EdTech GLC COO or CEO with your request as early as possible to ensure that such an agreement can be reached.
12. Translations of 1EdTech GLC Documents and Specifications
    1EdTech GLC believes that translation of its documents to many languages helps to enable worldwide participation. 1EdTech GLC invites Contributing Members to translate 1EdTech documents to languages, other than English, and distribute those documents, after a translation agreement is signed. If a Member organization desires to translate an 1EdTech copyrighted document for publication, please contact the 1EdTech GLC COO or CEO with your request as early as possible to ensure that such an agreement can be reached. 1EdTech GLC will also distribute the translated documents via the 1EdTech GLC web site. Non-member organizations can also translate 1EdTech GLC documents after a translation agreement is signed, but distribution of the translated documents is solely through the 1EdTech GLC web site.