FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AICC Announces the Extension of the AICC Standard to Include Management and Tracking on Courseware Content Over the Internet

Release 2.0, a new option for extending existing LAN-based training investments to new web technologies

Sugar City, ID, USA; February 9, 1998 – During its recently concluded week-long conference in Pensacola, Florida, the completed release 2.0 of the CMI Guidelines for Interoperability AICC Specification, AICC Document No. CMI001. A critical part of this new release is the extension of the specification to include optional delivery and tracking over the World-Wide Web. The new extension defines how the Hyper-Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is to be used as an additional means of launch, control, and tracking of results between AICC compliant Computer Managed Instruction (CMI) management systems and AICC compliant CBT courseware assignable units. AICC compliant courseware can now be run in a traditional client-server LAN environment, streamed and tracked over the Internet, or downloaded over the Internet and run locally with results uploaded at a later time.

"The AICC now provides an option for users to take training content developed for a traditional LAN environment and run it over the Internet with little or no change to that content, said Mark Scansen of Matsushita Corporation and Chairman of the AICC. "That makes users secure in knowing that their investment in CBT content and training technology will continue to remain current as the technology moves forward. This was not always the case in the past in our industry."

The AICC standard is the only open standard in existence today that is in production around the world in mission critical industry applications not just for aviation but also for other industries such as telecommunications, health care, financial services, and higher education. It is also the only true open standard administered by a public standards body. "This extension shows that the AICC standard has stood the test of time in staying current with user needs and new technology," said Bill McDonald of Flight-Safety Boeing and a principal architect of the Internet extension.

During the conference, the AICC also agreed to submit this 2.0 version of the CMI specification to the International Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) P1484 working group which is creating technical standards for computer based learning. The IEEE organization typically helps emerging standards become worldwide standards by expediting their submission and acceptance into the International Standards Organization.

The HTTP protocol was specifically selected because it has such ubiquitous acceptance by so many vendors and because it is a platform independent protocol. Unlike the use of TCP/IP Sockets or IIOP, the use of HTTP can pass through Internet security firewalls much more effectively. The extension was designed to limit the changes made to pre-existing CBT content in order to be enabled for an Internet environment, while still permitting newer technologies such as HTML, Dynamic HTML, and Java to be used for newly developed CBT content.

According to Randy Cox, vice president of engineering of Macromedia’s Interactive Learning Division, "This is an incredibly robust specification that includes over 150 fields of defined information, a number to which no other specification in the industry even comes close. It is gratifying to see this extensive body of work continue to become more robust with the inclusion of Web delivery."

About the AICC:

The AICC exists to provide and promote information, guidelines, and standards that result in the cost-effective implementation of CBT for the commercial aviation industry. Founded in 1988, the AICC is made up of a wide variety of industry representatives from airframe and engine manufacturers, CBT tool developers, CBT content producers, and airlines. Current members include: Airbus Industrie; Alex Informatique; Allen Communications; Asymetrix; Boeing Information, Space, and Defense Systems; Bombardier; Braathens SAFE; Federal Aviation Administration; FlightSafety Boeing; Hitachi; Honeywell; Jeppesen Sanderson; Macromedia; Matsushita; One-Touch Systems; Pathlore; Pratt and Whitney; Rockwell-Collins; RMS Systems; Sony Transcom; Transport Canada; TRO Learning; United Airlines; Vital Learning; and Wicat. New members are always welcome. Meetings are held three times a year. Parties interested in joining the AICC or attending the next meeting should visit the group's web site at www.aicc.org or can contact the AICC directly at +1-208-356-1136.

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