Firm sues competitor over online learning patent

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Blackboard said the US patent office has issued it a patent for technology used for Internet based education support systems and methods.

Blackboard has already taken legal action against another online learning comany, Desire2Learn Inc, alleging it has breached patent number 6,988,138 – “Internet Based Education Support System and Methods”. That patent was granted on the 17th of January this year.

The granting of the patent has drawn concern and ire from a number of sources. A filing at this web site said the Blackboard patent could become “a defining moment for learning technologies”. Academic Commons says here that the patent threatens open source initiatives like Moodle and Sakai, and also schools using blogs or wikis for courses.
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http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=33396

Technorati Tags: Sakai

Oracle and Unicon, Inc. Unveil Plans to Create Next-Generation Academic Enterprise Environment

New Platform will Streamline and Centralize Learning Performance Management, Curriculum Accreditation Processes, and Outcomes Evaluation while Extending Collaboration

REDWOOD SHORES, Calif., Aug. 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Oracle today announced that it has entered into a strategic alliance with Unicon, Inc., a provider of enterprise portal, collaboration, learning, and integration technology for higher education institutions, in connection with the delivery and support of a next-generation academic enterprise environment for the higher education and K-12 markets worldwide. This new solution — which will create a comprehensive environment by leveraging the Sakai open source code and integrating with Oracle’s market leading solutions for the education industry — will extend support for learning performance management, competency-based outcome initiatives, curriculum management, accreditation processes, research collaboration and other requirements that support the academic enterprise.

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/060801/sftu055.html?.v=71

Technorati Tags: Sakai

CT: Open Source Success

How to ensure a winning implementation on your campus.

Here, Angell offers a number of intelligent ways to help open source implementations succeed.

http://www.campus-technology.com/article.asp?id=18954

Technorati Tags: Sakai