European E-Learning Award for CELT

In making the Award, the jury - led by Professor Dr Peter A Henning - emphasised that the award specifically recognised the CELT technology and its process which allows the fast and efficient content adaptation of multinational applications.

This has been exemplified by the successful implementation of a number of versions of centrally developed e-learning courses deployed with the help of the CELT service and process, which enable users to translate and localise a SCORM-compliant e-learning course by accessing the course files through an online portal.

CELT not only uses an innovative process for translation and localisation that provides instant feedback and requires little project management but also facilitates time and cost-efficient market adaptations of Flash-built e-learning courses for multinational and multilingual applications.

Hosted on an online website, CELT is accessible anywhere and anytime. Editing is intuitive, using an interface similar to most Windows and MS Office applications.

Currently, CELT has translated and localised over 160 versions of eight different e-learning courses developed by PHM. The tool supports all European languages - including Russian - and is in the process of being upgraded to five Asian languages. Importantly, it is also provides a spell-checker. Its use requires a minimum amount of training, a one-hour introduction via Webex , coupled with assistance if required via email and telephone are sufficient to produce some impressive results in the localisation of the e-learning material.

Ford of Europe, which is championing the use of CELT, has used the technology with great success to deliver product knowledge learning materials for the new Ford Mondeo in 19 languages covering 24 market versions. Moreover, the whole exercise was completed in time to train Ford dealership staff throughout Europe in time for the model's launch.

Savings in terms of time and costs - compared with the previous method of preparing and disseminating similar information - have been estimated at some 25 per cent.

Peter Hookham-Miller, Managing Director and founder of PHM Group explained: "CELT has been developed to deliver market specific e-learning courses within time and budget. The great response we received from our clients using this adaptation process is encouraging us to continue the research and development of applications that allow Europe-wide deployment of communication and training tools."

PHM is providing CELT as a service for other companies to use to translate and localise their own courses.

Hookham-Miller added: "We also intend to continue to improve CELT through customer feedback and our own requirements. These improvements will include the localisation of animated text and audio files; the automated export of SCORM-compliant course packages, and adding a simple authoring tool."

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Notes for Editors