Questionmark Releases viewer and converter for new IMS XML Language

For Immediate Release

Questionmark Releases viewer and converter for new IMS XML Language

Questionmark Computing has become the first company to integrate the new IMS Question and Test Interoperability Specification with its own software. The Questionmark QTI XML Viewer will enable users to view questions in the new format. It will also import and export questions created in the new IMS XML into its own QML XML. QML is used to describe questions in Questionmark Perception, the class leading testing and assessment software suite. The viewer is available for free download from its website at www.questionmark.com/perception/help/qtixml.html .

IMS is a global coalition of more than 250 technology vendors including Questionmark Computing, Oracle, Apple, IBM, PeopleSoft and Sun Technologies, developers, educational institutions, and government agencies. Its new Question and Test Interoperability Specification makes it possible to pass question and test data between applications, providing learning system interoperability for online training and education technologies.

Explained Questionmark Computing technical director Paul Roberts: "The IMS XML is a draft international standard for storing questions and test data. It means that people can now write future-proof questions, portable from one application to another system, without losing the underlying integrity of a test. It will enable exam boards to create papers that can be made available for anybody. Now, divisions within corporations can now share and exchange question banks without having to use the same delivery system."

The language will also make it possible to create questions from any character set and run them over the web. This will be a significant step forward for teachers and trainers who currently find it difficult to deploy different language characters and mathematical notations online.

Added John Kleeman Questionmark Computing managing director, "The extent of the IMS collaboration speaks clearly about the need for open specifications that will help us advance the state-of-the-art in online assessment. Questionmark is one of the few active UK commercial participants in the IMS project. As a company, we are deeply committed to open specifications that will help us advance the state-of-the-art in online assessment. We are delighted to make the viewer available to people who are using the new IMS Specification."

About IMS
IMS is a global coalition headquartered in Burlington, Massachusetts. It is composed of more than 250 technology vendors, developers, educational institutions, and government agencies. The IMS Specifications are XML-based, open standards that allow learning providers to re-use education and training resources among online learning systems from different vendors. Content reuse and a reliable means to exchange data between question and test systems are key components of any learning application, particularly those that are internet-based. For more information visit http://www.imsproject.org/

About Questionmark
Questionmark was founded in the UK in 1988 and was one of the first software companies to provide an authoring framework to create tests and assessments to run on PCs. Today the company offers a full range of software for the testing and assessment marketplace spanning Windows and web environments. Businesses, governments, and universities in over 40 countries now use Questionmark software.

More information on Questionmark Perception can be found on the Internet at http://www.questionmark.com/uk/. If you would like any other information about Perception, contact Vivienne Shaughnessy at Questionmark Computing, telephone: +44 (0)800 731 5895. Email: vivienne.shaughnessy@questionmark.co.uk .

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