Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Application of the Framework
into the EU4ALL Project
The integration defined in the framework is
done considering the particularities of each of the
HE ICT services (Sa to Se) and is redefined in
terms of the framework (S1 to S9). Moreover,
different components (C1 to C9) that provide
some technical support are required. Using both
the O-ASA and the components, each of the in-
stitutions can now apply the general framework
to their particular needs (right hand side of Figure
1). As it can be seen, the result of applying the
framework is different in each of the institutions,
since they both had different needs and start from
different ad-hoc software infrastructures- they
usually do not require covering the whole list of
eServices offered in the framework. However, as
institutions have applied the framework, the re-
sulting software infrastructure can easily be ex-
tended in the future to accommodate new ser-
vices. They will only require adding the needed
components for the new services. The framework
provides the guidelines on how to integrate all
the pieces so their needs are solved following the
reference model for SOA proposed by OASIS.
The framework is based on an architecture
intended to provide a smooth integration of HE
ICT services (e.g. course enrolment), acquiring
specific competences for the given subject domain
(e.g. lessons) and accessibility (e.g. automatic
subtitling of multimedia resources) services, which
in turn are built in terms of multiple applications
(e.g. content repository), components (e.g. group
management, units of learning delivery), network
infrastructure (e.g. SOAP protocol) and dynamic
guidance (i.e. recommender system).
In order to clarify the applicability of the
framework, next we comment on how it is being
applied in the context of the EU4ALL project. We
focus mainly on components and services where
our research group is involved.
In the context of the EU4ALL Project (IST-2006-
034478), the framework aims to provide a set of
theoretical and practical tools that can be adopted
by educational institutions in order to increase
the quality and coverage of the personalization
and accessibility services that are offered to all
students.
The framework is supported through a set
of adaptive and accessible components that
provide the support for the end-user services
through ICT. These components correspond to
the C1-C9 elements identified in Figure 1 and
provide the technological support required for
the service delivery. Users interact with the S1 to
S9 services from the O-ASA thanks to the adap-
tive and accessible components available in the
EU4ALL framework (Raffenne et al., 2009). The
key element here is the LMS, which acts as the
bridge among users and adaptive and inclusive
functionalities. On the one side, the users interact
-as they are used to- through the LMS to receive
traditional e-learning services (such as SCORM
or IMS-LD compliant courses and collaboration
tools, e.g. forums). These services can provide
adaptive and inclusive support as they can access
the user model information, for instance, within
the properties of the IMS-LD unit of learning. On
the other side, other types of user services -that
consider pedagogical and psycho-educational
support- can also be provided though the same
interface. Both kinds of services are supported by
the adaptive components that manage information
about the user profile, needs and interactions (user
model), capabilities of the device used to access
the LMS (device model repository), characteristics
of the resources (metadata repository), provide
personalization of contents by providing pointers
to alternative resources that better suit the user
needs and preferences, and guide the navigation
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