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SCORM® Reference Introduction

This guide is the official SCORM® reference and support resource for Department of Defense Instruction (DoDI) 1322.26. This reference contains the most recent technical information available and will be updated as ADL Initiative and the DADLAC identify new information or recommend changes to standards, specifications, conformance, testing, acquisition, and other distributed learning topic areas. Readers are encouraged to visit this reference frequently for the latest available technical information and guidelines.

Documentation & Resources

Acquisition & Development Guidance

This section explores concepts related to the acquisition and development of SCORM® as an approach to DL. ADL Initiative will update this reference guide with sample contract language upon availability of impending updates to conformance and certification protocols.

Sharing and Reusing SCORM® Content

SCORM® was the first standard created by ADL Initiative for both DL content and DL systems. It includes specifications for tracking course progress and sharing content objects used in courses. Before developing new SCORM® content, DoD Components should search for existing content that can be reused or repurposed. At a minimum, formal DoD Components can search lists or systems for reuse as facilitated by the DADLAC.

SCORM® Content Development

Multiple methods can be used to create learning content; however, to produce SCORM® content (whether developing or acquiring):

  • Target the intended operating environment. Content should be conformant to the latest supported (SCORM® 1.2, SCORM® 2004 3rd Edition, or SCORM® 2004 4th Edition) version of SCORM® supported by the target DL system.
  • In future acquisitions, avoid non-supported versions of SCORM®.
  • Use non-proprietary and standards-based content formats whenever possible to enhance the possibility of reuse and durability.
  • When developing or acquiring SCORM® content, optimize for reusability as defined in the ADL Initiative Guidelines for Creating Reusable Content with SCORM® 2004.
  • If SCORM® 2004 sequencing is used, include a content structure diagram and sequencing rules table in final delivery as described in the SCORM® Users Guide for Programmers Reference.
  • See the SCORM® Users Guide for ISDs for how to consider SCORM® in the instructional design strategy of DL content.
  • When considering third-party authoring tools or vendors, see the Choosing Authoring Tools reference from ADL Initiative.

  • Content developers who are concerned about SCORM® data integrity can take some actions to mitigate known vulnerabilities with JavaScript. ADL Initiative provides examples these mitigation actions in the following two documents:

  • Securing Your Assessments
  • SCORM® Content Vulnerability Workarounds
SCORM® Content Reporting Consistency

SCORM® requires DL systems, such as an LMS or learning content management system (LCMS) to store and return run-time data model values to the content while the learner is in an active session with the content. After completion of the content, most DL systems:

  • Provide reporting capabilities leveraging data model values; however, this is not specified by SCORM®.
  • Provide, at a minimum, completion status (complete or incomplete), success status (pass or fail), and score information.

To promote reporting consistency across content created by multiple developers and instructional designers, design and program the content to set the cmi.completion_status or cmi.success_status for each shareable content object (SCO) at a minimum.

SCORM® Content Packaging

SCORM® content is transported and processed using SCORM® content packages. When creating SCORM® content packages to make DL content more reusable, developers should also consider the following:

  • Make the file size of the content packages as small and efficient as possible to simplify distribution, portability, and reuse.
  • Align the content packages with instructional lessons or specific instructional events (e.g., terminal learning objectives, enabling learning objectives, or a practice activity).
  • Develop instructional events within an instructional lesson, especially those that benefit from being tracked and reported, as SCOs.
  • Use a shared resource folder and a flat file structure (e.g. do not nest folders based on topics), to allow individual SCOs to be more easily transferred from one package to another.
SCORM® Conformance

After the specific version and edition of SCORM® have been targeted, use the criteria in Table 1 to determine the conformance labels for each supported version (SCORM® 1.2 or SCORM® 2004) and edition to support proper conformance testing.

Table 1. Conformance Test Suite and Conformance Test Suite Labels
SCORM® 2004 4th Edition SCORM® 2004 3rd Edition SCORM® Version 1.2
Test Suite ADL Initiative SCORM® 2004 4th Edition Test Suite Version 1.1.1 ADL Initiative SCORM® 2004 3rd Edition Conformance Test Suite Version 1.0.2 or ADL Initiative SCORM® 2004 3rd Edition Conformance Test Suite Version 1.1.2 ADL Initiative SCORM®Version 1.2 Conformance Test Suite Version 1.2.7
Conformance Label CP SCORM® 2004 4th Ed. Conformant CP SCORM® 2004 3rd Ed. Conformant ADLCP-PIF1
Conformance Requirements Document SCORM® 2004 4th Edition Testing Requirements Version 1.1 SCORM® 2004 3rd Edition Conformance Requirements Version 1.2 SCORM® Version 1.2 Conformance Requirements Version 1.2

SCORM® Conformant-Content Contract Language

Table 2 provides recommended sample verbiage to ensure SCORM®-conformant DL is procured. Components acquiring DL should update the sample statements to reflect the correct version and edition of SCORM® content to be procured.

Table 2. Sample SCORM®-Conformant Content Contract Statements
SCORM® Version Sample Contract Statements
ADL Initiative SCORM® 2004 4th Edition

“The contractor shall ensure distributed learning content is conformant to SCORM® 2004 4th Edition.”

The following documents will be cited in the solicitation document (keyed to the appropriate section) for DL: ADL Initiative SCORM® 2004 4th Edition Testing Requirements Version 1.1.

Acceptance shall be based on the following:

  1. Conformance: An error-free repeatable test log output saved as a .zip file for each Content Package (CP), providing evidence that the CP SCORM® 2004 4th Ed. Conformant conformance label has been achieved, shall verify SCORM®-conformance
  2. Target DL System Verification: A report from the target DL system or operator of the target DL system certifying that the content ran properly.”
ADL Initiative SCORM® 2004 3rd Edition

“The contractor shall ensure distributed learning content is conformant to SCORM® 2004 3rd Edition.”

The following documents will be cited in the solicitation document (keyed to the appropriate section) for DL: ADL Initiative SCORM® 2004 3rd Edition Conformance Requirements Version 1.2.

Acceptance shall be based on one of the following:

  1. Conformance: An error-free repeatable test log output saved as a .zip file for each Content Package (CP), providing evidence that the CP SCORM® 2004 3rd Ed. Conformant conformance label has been achieved, shall verify SCORM®-conformance
  2. Target DL System Verification: A report from the target DL system or operator of the target DL system certifying that the content ran properly.”
ADL Initiative SCORM® Version 1.2

“The contractor shall ensure distributed learning content is conformant to SCORM® Version 1.2.”

The following documents will be cited in the solicitation document (keyed to the appropriate section) for DL: ADL Initiative SCORM® Version 1.2 Conformance Requirements Version 1.2.

Acceptance shall be based on one of the following:

  1. Conformance: An error-free repeatable test log output saved as a .zip file for each Content Package (CP), providing evidence that the ADLCP-PIF1 conformance label has been achieved, shall verify SCORM®-conformance
  2. Target DL System Verification: A report from the target DL system or operator of the target DL system certifying that the content ran properly.”

SCORM® System Conformance

Currently, ADL Initiative supports SCORM® 1.2, SCORM® 2004 3rd Edition, and SCORM® 2004 4th Edition. Conformance test suites for DL systems are available for each. Generally, DL acquisition professionals should procure an LMS and/or LCMS that can demonstrate conformance against the required version(s) of SCORM®.

Further, ADL Initiative advises procurers to review our “Choosing an LMS” document.  

SCORM®-Conformant System Contract Language

General SCORM®-conformant system statements should be used in requirements documents (specifications, statements of work, performance work statements, or other applicable program requirements documentation), as described in Table 3.

Table 3. Sample SCORM®-Conformant System Contract Statements
SCORM® Version Sample Contract Statements
ADL Initiative SCORM® 2004 4th Edition

“The contractor shall ensure the component of the distributed learning system that imports, runs, and sequences asynchronous, web-based distributed learning content is conformant to SCORM® 2004 4th Edition.”

The following documents will be cited in the request for proposal (RFP) package (keyed to the appropriate section) for DLS: ADL Initiative SCORM® 2004 4th Edition Testing Requirements Version 1.1.

Acceptance will be based on the following:

  1. Conformance: An error-free repeatable test log output for the distributed learning system, providing evidence that the LMS SCORM® 2004 4th Ed. Conformant conformance label has been achieved.
  2. Target DL System Verification: A report from the target DL system or operator of the target DL system certifying that the content ran properly.
ADL Initiative SCORM® 2004 3rd Edition

“The contractor shall ensure the component of the distributed learning system that imports, runs, and sequences asynchronous, web-based distributed learning content is conformant to SCORM® 2004 3rd Edition.”

The following documents will be cited in the RFP package (keyed to the appropriate section) for DLS: ADL Initiative SCORM® 2004 3rd Edition Conformance Requirements Version 1.2.

Acceptance will be based on the following:

  1. Conformance: An error-free repeatable test log output for the distributed learning system, providing evidence that the LMS SCORM® 2004 3rd Ed. Conformant conformance label has been achieved.
  2. Target DLS Verification: A report from the target DLS or operator of the target DLS certifying that the content ran properly.
ADL Initiative SCORM® Version 1.2

“The contractor shall ensure the component of the distributed learning system that imports, runs, and sequences asynchronous, web-based distributed learning content is conformant to SCORM® Version 1.2.” The following documents will be cited in the RFP package (keyed to the appropriate section) for DLS: ADL Initiative SCORM® Version 1.2 Conformance Requirements Version 1.2.

Acceptance will be based on one of the following:

  1. Conformance: An error-free repeatable test log output for the distributed learning system, providing evidence that the LMS-RTE3 conformance label has been achieved.
  2. Target DL System Verification: A report from the target DL system or operator of the target DL system certifying that the content ran properly.