Older News
ATutor 1.5.5 Released
[August 2, 2007] ATutor 1.5.5 is now available for download. This is mostly a maintenance release, but does include a few small features. Everyone is encouraged to upgrade. See the change log for a list of changes in this version.
ATutor 1.5.4 Released
[April 16, 2007] ATutor 1.5.4 is now available for download. Users are encouraged to upgrade their systems to take advantage of the many new features available in this release. Some of these features include: additional test question types, as well as QTI 2.1 test question exporting; batch management of student accounts and a new administrator enrollment manager; and a new DIV based theme (blumin), among many other things. See the change log for a list of changes in this version. And, visit the ATutor 1.5.4 Demo to try the new features.
Mellon Awards
[March 30, 2007] The 2007 Mellon Awards for Technology Collaboration (MATC) have been announced, with several $100,000 and $50,000 cash awards to be presented in December. You might choose to add a comment to the ATutor Nomination to help improve its chances, or you might submit a nomination for your own ATutor work. Nominations are due by April 16 2007.
Payments Module Released
[February 27, 2007] The ATutor payments module is now available for testing. This module allows for the payment of course fees, and auto enrolment when set as a course preference. Payments can be managed by Instructors and/or administrators. The module includes a test account with the MiraPay credit card processing service. Download a copy of the module from the ATutor Modules page. Though it should function without any trouble if you want to start using it right away, this version is available primarily for testing and feedback.
Blackboard Patent Challenged
[November 30, 2006] ATutor is one of three open source learning management systems named in a formal challenge to the Blackboard patent issued in July of 2006. For full details see the Press Release from The Software Freedom Law Center.
ATutor 1.5.3.3
[November 30, 2006] ATutor 1.5.3.3 been released! Review the change log for a list of changes in this version.
ATutor 1.5.3.2 Released
[August 1, 2006] ATutor 1.5.3.2 has been released. This version fixes a few minor bugs, security issues, and improves on the language management.
Nominate ATutor: Mellon Foundation Awards
[July 18, 2006] The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation is inviting nominations for the 2006 Mellon Awards for Technology Collaboration (MATC). Please visit http://rit.mellon.org/awards for the details. An award from the Mellon Foundation would go a long way towards advancing the ATutor project, making it possible to further extend the capacities of ATutor user communities, and to develop a range of new features. If ATutor is helping you to achieve your project goals please consider taking a moment to nominate ATutor for the 2006 Mellon Awards for Technology Collaboration (MATC).
ATutor 1.5.3 Released
[July 5, 2006] ATutor 1.5.3 has been released, with many new features. The most significant changes include the integration of the ACollab group functionality into ATutor, creating a *new group user level*, and development of a collection group level tools. ACollab users can now configure ATutor to provide most of the functionality ACollab had been providing. Another key feature added in this release is the *File Storage* utility, a personal file manager for students, groups, and instructors. It includes an *Assignment Drop Box* extension, where students can submit assignments, and instructors can manage them. is now available for review and testing. For a full list of new features see the ChangeLog. Visit the ATutor downloads page to get a copy. Or, visit the demo site to try the demo ATutor 1.5.3.
TLE Content Repository Module Released
[April 3, 2006] The first release of The Learning Edge (TLE) module for ATutor has been released. TLE is a full featured e-learning content repository. In this version of the module students and instructors can search the repository and view its content. Instructors can link content directly from the repository into their ATutor courses, and use the TLE Lesson Assembler to build content packages to use in courses, and share with others. You can download the TLE Module, and learn more about the repository software itself from the TLE Web Site. Visit the ATutor Demo to try the TLE module yourself. It is available as a search tool on the demo course home page, and as an Instructor tool under the Manage tab when logged in as a course instructor.
OS E-learning Software Workshops (Rome)
[March 21, 2006] A series of workshops will be held at CNIPA (National Center for Computer Science in Public Administration) in Rome on April 06, 2006. The workshops will discuss aspects on E-Learning systems such as conformance with SCORM, national use of e-learning systems, and conformity with accessibility standards. The workshops are primarily intended for an Italian audience, though anyone is welcome to attend.
ATutor 1.5.2 Modules Release
[December 14, 2005] ATutor 1.5.2 is now available. In this release there have been some major changes to the underlying structure of the system. All functionality is now available in modules. The primary purpose for this change is to allow ATutor users to more easily create added functionality, or to create third party addon modules that link other applications into ATutor. New modules with this release include an FAQ utility, a Google search feature, and a RSS feeds module. The EWiki, ATalker, SCORM Packages, and ACollab modules have also been updated, so it is now possible to install them with just a couple mouse clicks. For more information, and a download from Sourceforge, visit the atutor.ca Web site. ATutor users are should upgrade their current system with version 1.5.2.
Security Notice
[September 15, 2005] Those using versions of ATutor previous to 1.5 are encouraged to upgrade to ATutor 1.5.1 pl1 as soon as possible. For those already using ATutor 1.5.1 please replace your existing ./password_reminder.php file with this fix.
ATalker Add-on for ATutor Released
[September 7, 2005] ATalker is a Web-based text-to-speech add-on for ATutor, based on the Festival text-to-speech system. Using synthesized speech, ATalker can read text out loud over the Web. With the ATalker Theme installed, the ATutor interface and feedback messages can be read out loud. ATalker currently has English and Spanish voices. For more information, see the ATalker demo and ATalker downloads.
ATutorDay Italia
[September 7, 2005] ATutorDay - Labor scarl will be hosting ATutorDay on October 14th, 2005. The event will be held on the beautiful Island of Capri, just west of Naples Italy. It will highlight ATutor activities throughout Italy, with discussions on open source, e-learning content development, economic considerations, and evaluation strategies, among others. The workshops will appeal to an international audience, sharing knowledge of the successes in Italy using open source technologies for Web-based e-Learning. Visit the ATutorDay Web site for full details, and Capri Tourism for travel details. Hope to see you there!
ATutor 1.5.1 Released
[August 16, 2005] ATutor 1.5.1 has been made available for download. This release fixes many bugs, most minor but some critical, that could not have been included in the 1.5 release last month for various reasons. The change log notes the other changes as well.
Ewiki Addon for ATutor 1.5
[August 3, 2005] An implementation of ErFurtWiki for ATutor is now available for ATutor 1.5+. It provides a wide range of wiki tools to allow students to create pages, upload and download files, keep a calendar, store images, and generally build knowledge on course topics. Unzip the downloaded file into your ATutor tools/ directory. This creates a directory called wiki/. In the wiki/ directory read README_ATUTOR_MODULE for installation and integration instructions. Visit the download ATutor Addon Modules section of atutor.ca to get a copy of the Ewiki addon for your ATutor installation.
ATutor 1.5 Released
[July 12, 2005] ATutor 1.5 has been released with many new features and enhancements. Some features to look for: modular Student Tools, a SCORM Run-Time Environment, extended theme capabilities, and the ATutor Handbook, among many others. Users are encouraged to upgrade their current systems. See the Change Log for a list of new features, the Demo to try it yourself, and the download section to get a copy of your own.
AComm 1.0 Released
[April 14, 2005] AComm 1.0 has been released. This is the initial release of our accessible Chat and Whiteboard. Imagine a blind person being able to participate in drawing and synchronous communication activities. Now it's possible. Download AComm for yourself, or have your students install it, for added participation and interactivity in your ATutor courses.
ACollab 1.2 Released
[March 30, 2005] ACollab 1.2 has been released. This release includes a variety of feature enhancements and a few bug fixes. Current users may wish to upgrade to take advantage of the added functionality. Visit the Change Log for a list of new features, the ACollab Demo site to try it for yourself, and the ACollab Download site to get a copy of your own.
ATutor 1.5 Beta Available
[March 24, 2005] ATutor 1.5 Beta has been made available for testing! See the Change Log for additional details.
ATutor 1.4.3 Released
[February 3, 2005] ATutor 1.4.3 has been released and is now available for download! Current users are encouraged to upgrade their ATutor systems to take advantage of the many new feature that have been added to this release. See the Change Log for additional details.
ATutor Community Development
[October 13, 2004] The ATutor Community Discussions forum has been opened on atutor.ca to allow ATutor users to share stories and learn from each other's experiences. Other community development initiatives include: the Proposed Features page, and the Feature Requests Forum which allow non-programmers to participate in development activities; the Translation Site with more than 20 languages for ATutor and a community of more than 300 translators; and the Themes Page, where ATutor users can display their creativity and share their work with others.
ATutor 1.4.2 Released
[September 21, 2004] ATutor 1.4.2 is now available for download! See the Change Log for additional details.
Developer Documentation
[August 8, 2004] The developer documentation is now available. The document will help any PHP developer get right into working with the ATutor code. Please see the development section for additional details.
ATutor Themes Page Open
[July 12, 2004] The ATutor Themes Page is now open for members and public viewers and can be accessed via the link under the ATutor Project menu on the left. Themes for ATutor 1.4+ are available for preview and download. Members can share their own original themes by uploading a zipped file of their theme in the Submit Theme Section to be tested and displayed in the themes gallery.
ATutor 1.4.1 Released
[July 8, 2004] ATutor 1.4.1 is now available for download. The lastest version can be downloaded from Sourceforge.net. See the Change Log for additional details.
Development Site Open
[June 22, 2004] The ATutor Development Site is now open for members and public viewers and can be accessed via the link in the horizontal menu bar above. Members can contribute to the development of new features. Features suggested in forums and emails, etc. will be listed on the Proposed Features page. ATutor.ca members can vote for features and assign themselves as a developer to specific features. Viewers can browse and checkout source code from the Subversion (SVN) Repository, and registered developers can commit and maintain their contributions.
ACollab 1.1 Released
[June 14, 2004] ACollab 1.1 is now available for download. This version introduces many new features and changes from the previous PWD version. ACollab 1.1 can now be used as a stand-alone group work collaborative environment or as an add-on to an existing ATutor (1.4+) installation.
ATutor 1.4 Released
[May 28, 2004] ATutor 1.4 is now available for download. The lastest version can be downloaded from Sourceforge.net. See the Change Log for additional details.
New features to watch for in this release:
- Templates for creating your own custom look-and-feel.
- Roles & Privileges for students to create teaching assistant or additional instructors.
- Automatically marked tests.
- Search the TILE learning objects repository, and import content packages directly into ATutor by entering a URL.
- WYSIWYG editor for formatting ATutor content without having to know HTML.
- Evaluate content with the content editor accessibility checker to ensure it conforms with international accessibility standards.
- Conduct group activities with ACollab.
ACollab Translation Tools Available
[March 24, 2004] With the nextrelease of ATutor planned for the end of April 2004, ACollab will be available as a standalone group collaboration tool and as an addon for ATutor so instructors can conduct group activities as part of their teaching. Translators may now log into MyATutor to translate ACollab.
Nightly Builds Available
[March 3, 2004] In an effort to keep the ATutor community up-to-date on the latest developments, we have made nightly builds available on the Downloads page. The nightly builds are made directly from the development CVS and we encourage everyone to try one out for testing purposes, or just for curiousity sake.
ATutor 1.3.3 Released
[February 27, 2004] ATutor 1.3.3 is now available for download. This release is mostly a stabilizing release, meant to stabilize much of the newly added functionality and resolve bugs before continuing on to the next development phase. See the Downloads page to obtain a copy of your own.
ATutor 1.3.2 Released
[February 19, 2004] ATutor 1.3.2 is now available for download. New in this release: SCORM conformant content packaging, a new look and feel for introductory screens, upgrades to the content editor, and lots of fixes and enhancements. See the Change Log for a more detailed list of changes, try the Demo to see the new look, and try the new content editor, and visit the Download page to obtain a copy of your own.
ACollab-PWD 1.0 Released
[February 4, 2004] The first public release of ACollab is here. ACollab is an accessible Web-based collaborative work environment.
This version, labeled ACollab-PWD, was created by the ATutor team for the Persons With Disabilities (PWD) cluster of Human Resource Development Canada
(HRDC). The Government of Canada has kindly allowed us to keep ACollab Open Source (GPL) so it will be available to anyone, and continue to grow around a
community of its users. Plans for ACollab include adapting it for additional languages, then building an addon, integrating it into ATutor as a tool for
running group learning activities. Where ACollab goes from there, its users will tell.
The inaugural version of ACollab can be downloaded from Sourceforge.net. See the ACollab section of the site for additional details, and the ACollab Demos to try it yourself.
ATutor 1.3.1 Released
[December 16, 2003] ATutor 1.3.1 has been released. The primary new features in this version are the automated installation and upgrade script, improved support for right-to-left languages, and a few bug and security fixes. The lastest version can be downloaded from Sourceforge.net. See the Change Log for additional details.
ATutor 1.3 Released
[November 14, 2003] ATutor is a Standards Compliant Open Source Web-based Learning Content Management System (LCMS) designed with accessibility and adaptability in mind. Administrators can install or update ATutor in minutes. Educators can quickly assemble, package, and redistribute Web-based instructional content, and conduct their courses online. Students learn in an adaptive learning environment.
New Features in the ATutor 1.3 include:
- IMS compliant content packaging utilities for creating interoperable learning objects.
- Course categories for sorting courses by topic.
- Course list import/export tool.
- Improved accessibility for people with disabilities.
- Course search engine.
- ... and many more fixes and enhancements.
MyATutor Tools
[November 14, 2003] We are pleased to announce the new My ATutor members section! My ATutor expands on the forums and in the future will provide access to ATutor support and community resources. Use My ATutor to setup a new Translator Account, if you are currently working on ATutor language, or you wish to get involved in translating ATutor.
If you already have a username and password for the ATutor Forums, they can be used to login to ATutor.ca without having to re-register.
Translators for ATutor 1.3
[November 7, 2003] ATutor 1.3 is scheduled for release November 14. If you are waiting for a language pack to be released in your language, why not volunteer to join a group of translators, or start a group of your own. Register as an ATutor member to request a Translator account.
ATutor 1.3 RC2
[November 4, 2003] ATutor 1.3 RC2 has been released. This is the second (and probably last) release candidate prior to the 1.3 release, and should be used for testing only. This release fixes a few minor bugs in RC1 and handles a few user errors a little better than before.
ATutor 1.3 RC1
[October 27, 2003] ATutor 1.3 RC1 has been released. This is the first release candidate prior to the 1.3 release and should be used with caution. Please test this release on non-production servers as much as possible. ATutor 1.3 includes many bug fixes as well as several major features--the biggest being the addition of IMS compliant content packaging. 1.3 RC1 can also be tested on our demo servers.
ATutor on Top
[August 31, 2003] ATutor on Top in "Progress through Training" Study: A study of ATutor and its closest counterparts, results in ATutor nomination as the open source Virtual Learning Environment of choice. A local copy of the study (pdf) can be downloaded from ATutor.
ATutor Takes Top Spot
[July 30, 2003] ATutor Takes Top Spot in Open Source LCMS Study: We are pleased to announce that ATutor came out on top in a study of Open Source Learning Content Management Systems conducted by the Commonwealth of Learning. Read about the study.
ATutor 1.2.1 Released
[July 25, 2003] A minor update has been released to fix the problem some were experiencing with the default language not loading in a fresh install of V1.2. Download V1.2.1
ATutor 1.2 Released
[July 6, 2003] Updates include multilingual support, the addition of AChat, an accessible synchronous cummunication tool, more icons to represent various features, and lots of bug fixes and enhancements. Follow the demo link to try ATutor, and follow the Download link to get your copy.
