DoD Distributed Learning Policy

The ADL Initiative is a leader in distributed learning policy and technical guidance for the DoD community — from the 1999 Executive Order that chartered it to the DoDI 1322.26 instruction that governs it today.

DoD Instruction 1322.26 ("Distributed Learning")

DoDI 1322.26 establishes policy, responsibilities, and requirements for developing, managing, providing, and evaluating distributed learning for DoD military and civilian personnel. It directs that DoD personnel will have access to state-of-the-art, affordable, effective, and convenient education and training opportunities — including distributed learning tools — and that distributed learning should always be considered as a potential instructional delivery option when designing (or revising) DoD education and training.

The Instruction emphasizes distributed learning interoperability in terms of both the systems and the data they produce. It instructs the use of a net-centric DoD architecture and common standards, and in particular recommends the use of the Experience Application Programming Interface (xAPI). It also formally charts the Defense ADL Advisory Committee (DADLAC) and assigns responsibilities to both the DADLAC and the ADL Initiative, including active coordination, ensuring the implementation of high-quality measurement and analysis methods, and exchanging captured data among DoD Components' interoperable systems.

DoDI 1322.26 provides the following guidance:

  • DoD personnel will have access to state-of-the-art, affordable, and effective education.
  • In the design process, distributed learning will be considered as a delivery option, with accessibility consistent with Section 508 requirements for users with disabilities.
  • Distributed learning capabilities will be based on interoperable standards.
  • DoD Components will migrate away from SCORM-enabled courseware in favor of cmi5 and xAPI.
  • Distributed learning data will be shared throughout DoD to the maximum extent.
  • DoD Components will consider Identity, Credential, and Access Management (ICAM) when acquiring distributed learning systems.

NATO STANAG 2591

Like DoDI 1322.26, NATO STANAG (Standardization Agreement) 2591 ("Advanced Distributed Learning") provides implementation guidance for coalition distributed learning, in particular defining interoperability requirements and best practices. This STANAG is stewarded by the NATO Training Group's Individual Training and Education Developments task group, which the ADL Initiative co-chairs on behalf of the US. STANAG 2591 directs that NATO and nations seek distributed learning interoperability and that participating nations adopt the use of SCORM for courseware.

Foundational authorities

The ADL Initiative traces its origin to a series of formal authorities that established the mandate for e-learning standards across the Federal Government and the private sector:

Downloads

Modernizing Learning (translations)

The ADL Initiative's "Modernizing Learning" publication, available in English and three additional languages:

On lms.technology

Related standards and policy context are documented on this site: