ADL
Acronym for Advanced Distributed Learning. The ADL initiative is a U. S. Department of Defense-supported consortium charged with developing a standardized system for Web-based learning.
administrative category
A category outside the administrator hierarchy to which administrators can be assigned. It can be based on any desired criteria. Administrative categories are used primarily for convenience in running searches.
AICC
Acronym for Aviation Industry CBT Committee. This group developed the first practical specification to standardize the way Web-based training courses communicate with learning management systems.
alert
A message to the user generated by the operating system or the application that is currently running. Alert messages pop up in their own window, often accompanied by a warning sound.
API
Acronym for Application Programming Interface. A method of communication between a CMI and a lesson that uses a special interface program to simplify the sending and receiving of data. See also, API adapter.
API Adapter
A special program running in the student's browser that provides an easy-to-use communication interface between a lesson and WBT Manager™. When a lesson is launched from a WBT Manager™ menu with API support, the API adapter is placed where the lesson can find it. Some AICC-conformant lessons and all SCORM-conformant lessons are designed to use the API adapter.
asset
In the SCORM specification, a piece of content that does not communicate with the LMS. Typically assets are simply separate files that make up parts of lessons (SCOs), such as a graphic displayed on an HTML page. However, the SCORM 1.2 specification allows assets to be launched by the LMS. The WBT Manager™ equivalent to an LMS-launchable asset is called a reference item.
Assignable Unit
The lowest level of the AICC course hierarchy, equivalent to a lesson in WBT Manager™. This is the unit of instruction that is actually launched and tracked by the LMS.
AU
Acronym for Assignable Unit.
authority level
A level assigned to each WBT Manager™ administrator that defines the portion of the system and database to which they have access. System-level administrators have access to the entire system. Local administrators have access to tasks that affect a specific element of the student hierarchy.
browser
An application used on the Internet or an intranet to display HTML pages and other Web-based content. The most commonly-used browsers are Microsoft® Internet Explorer and Netscape® Navigator.