rSmart Releases Its Sakai CLE 2.2, Delivering Commercial Support for eLearning Collaboration and Enhanced Portfolio Tools

PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The rSmart Group Inc., the first provider of commercial support for the open source collaboration and learning environment Sakai, today announced the availability of the rSmart Sakai 2.2 release. This rSmart release builds on the Sakai Community version and introduces powerful new functionality that includes an enhanced user interface and expanded tool set. The rSmart Sakai CLE 2.2 enhances and extends functionality for e-Learning by offering:

• Teaching & Learning
  The rSmart Sakai CLE 2.2 provides online spaces for fully online courses, blended face to face and online courses. Use the CLE to post documents, conduct tests and quizzes, present sequenced content, post syllabi, and assignments, manage a course calendar, engage in online discussions and chat, construct group edited documents (Wikis), and much more.
• Small Groups & Projects
  The unique approach to individual and group collaboration spaces gives the CLE the flexibility to support virtually any form of group collaboration.
• Electronic Portfolios
  The CLE includes the open source portfolio (OSP) which provides tools for individuals to collect and organize work across courses and other learning experiences.
• Open Platform for Scholarly Collaboration
  The CLE is the premier example of a new generation of open platforms for scholarly collaboration. It is developed by education, for education using modern technologies and a design that is flexible enough to accommodate the diverse needs of all types of institutions.
• Building on the work of a Global Community
  The rSmart Sakai CLE 2.2 marks the second major release for rSmart in 2006 and the fourth major release for the Sakai Community in two years.

"Our goal was always to deliver a fully supported Sakai Solution with enhanced capabilities, greater stability, and easier integration; this is another significant step in that direction,” said Anthony Potts, Chief Technology Officer, rSmart. "Through the power of open source we are dramatically reducing the cost of e-Learning solutions while delivering a simple-to-use, enterprise class system, where faculty and administrative personnel, rather than developers, can set up and implement a true collaboration and learning environment."

The rSmart Sakai CLE 2.2 Preview and General Availability

The rSmart Sakai CLE 2.2 is currently available to review in the rSmart Sandbox. The rSmart Sandbox provides easy access to the rSmart Sakai CLE software. Users can view pre-populated course sites and evaluate the innovative features and functions of the software by building their own course site. The rSmart Sandbox is free and accessible to all at: http://www.rsmart.com/products/cle/try

A real world evaluation of the rSmart Sakai CLE 2.2 called “My Sakai” is available for $165 and allows users to deliver an online course or in support of classroom-based activities for up to 6 months. It's the perfect solution for Instructors who want to stay focused on teaching, learning, and assessing the functional capabilities of the software. My Sakai is currently available at: http://www.rsmart.com/products/cle/try

About The rSmart Group

The rSmart Group is the leading open source application software company serving the higher education market. rSmart packages, certifies, deploys, and supports a suite of enterprise financial and collaborative learning applications for colleges and universities. As an active member of open source projects like Kuali and Sakai, rSmart is able to provide its clients with software applications specifically designed to meet the unique needs of institutions of higher education. This collaborative approach allows rSmart to offer colleges and universities open source applications that break their dependence on traditional proprietary software vendors. Please visit www.rsmart.com for more information.