Picking an Authoring Tool for HTML eLearning Development

The easy availability of various types of e-learning tools that facilitate the formulation of innovative and effective e-learning courses is beneficial to all instructional designers. Articulate Storyline, Captivate, and Lectora are some of such versatile e-learning authoring tools that have influenced the present-day HTML e-learning arena considerably. All of these are resourceful authoring tools and have ready templates and all other related resources that assist the creation of top class e-learning documentations. However, it is good to know a few basic details about them, before picking up one from the bunch for your specific project requirement.

File Size and Functioning Methods are Crucial

In the present world, the bulk of the online consumer activities are happening via mobile gadgets, because of the advent of Smartphones and Tabs. E-learning field is also not an exception. Hence, the overall functioning methods of e-learning courses including the file size and the transfer speed matters a lot.

Though Articulate Storyline and Captivate are akin in loading the framework files just only one time and after that the related content files page after page, there is a slight difference in the ensuing action. Articulate Storyline is a better bet for animation works and heavy media. Captivate publishes the content as images, and this causes the enlargement of the file size which consequently will influence the performance. However, Lectora has a different reloading mode; here, the framework files are loaded as new page loads and due to this functionality, a bit more time is needed to load the file. Moreover, there can be interruptions in the visual flow.

Comparison Regarding Graphics and Animations

Instructional designers can easily create the basic shapes by using any of these three authoring tools, as they are incorporated with a special tool box. In addition to this, there is a built-in animation preset in all of the three tools with which animations can be created with ease. However Captivate has a better library and the strength is 50+ presets. Lectora has 30+ presets, whereas the Articulate Storyline has only nearly 10 presets. Articulate Storyline and Captivate are also integrated with timeline feature, and this helps instructional designers to bring in custom animation. On the other hand, there is no timeline feature in Lectora.

Interactive Element

Captivate, and Articulate Storyline are incorporated with bigger interactive template collections than Lectora; both of them have more than 20 templates. Though customization on fonts, colors and texts can be made to Captivate templates, you can not change the primary nature. Yet another speciality of Captivate templates is that, you can draw on the effectiveness of externally created interactive pluggable widgets. Articulate Storyline is also adaptable and so you can develop bespoke templates and can keep them for imminent applications. Lectora is also adaptable, but has comparatively lesser template collection.

Synchronization of Audio and Video Features

Articulate Storyline and Captivate facilitate the synchronization of audio and video features, as both of them have timelines. This is not the case with Lectora and so, audio and video synchronization is a bit tougher here.

Simulations

As far as the simulation facility is concerned, all the three (Articulate Storyline, Captivate, and Lectora) are well-suited. That being said, Lectora is not incorporated with an inbuilt screen, as in the case of Articulate Storyline and Captivate. But, you can share your created content using Lectora on all commonly accepted social media platforms such as ‘Facebook’ and ‘Twitter’.

Incorporating Quizzing Facility

Articulate Storyline and Captivate gives you the option of picking from different kinds of question templates.

The Process of Localization

Localization can be easily brought in by using all of these three authoring tools and they will support all major languages including the right-to-left languages like Arabic, Hebrew, and Farsi.

In a nutshell, it can be seen that each of these elearning tools have various user-friendly features and it is up to you to decide, which one to use for your specific requirement.

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