Phil Nicholls presented on Learning Information Services (LIS), a specification that allows different systems like student information systems and learning management systems to exchange student, course, and outcome data in a standard way. LIS was developed by IMS Global, a non-profit organization, with contributions from companies like Oracle, Ellucian, Blackboard, and Desire2Learn. Implementing LIS provides benefits like easier system integration and migration compared to custom integrations between individual systems. Current adoption includes Oracle, Ellucian, Moodle, and Desire2Learn passing conformance testing for exchanging data through LIS.

1. Learning Information Services
Phil Nicholls
Moodlemoot Dublin 2013

2. Introduction: Me
• “LIS Guy” / Tech Facilitator for IMS Global
• Software Developer since ’95 (mostly
standards)
• Psydev: consultants specialising in
interoperability standards
• Based in Sheffield, UK
• www.linkedin.com/in/philnicholls
• @psydevuk

3. What is LIS for?
• Different systems take different views of
the same data.
• LIS is a specification that allows systems
to exchange information about people,
courses, groups, memberships and
outcomes in a standard way
• Commonly it is used to integrate Student
Information Systems (SISs) with LMSs…

4. LIS Scenarios

5. Where did LIS come from
• The specification has been built over
several years by IMS Global, a not for
profit member organisation.
• LIS contributors include Oracle, Ellucian,
Blackboard, Desire2Learn, Psydev 
• www.imsglobal.org/developers/lisalliance

6. But…
• Implementing standards is more work.
– (for you maybe, but not your customer / user)
• Implementing standards is hard work.
– (or rather, it’s different work)
• “I wouldn’t have done it like that!”
– (so it’s a collaboration between different
people and organisations…)

7. Why use a standard like LIS?
• Built by a wider community
• Removes need for people to code to many
individual APIs across lots of systems.
• Conformance Test support
• Avoids lots of “pairwise” integrations
• Easier migration path
• Opens opportunities with partners

8. Current State of Play
• Oracle and Ellucian have passed
conformance on the SIS end.
• Psydev (Moodle / Ref), Desire2Learn and
MoodleRooms have passed conformance
on the LMS end.
• Testing now for moving grade data to SIS
• Work now going on to look at Timetabling
and Scheduling

9. Thinking Implementation?
• First steps:
– Understand the specification
– Understand your view of data in relation to the
specs’ view of data (syntax and semantics)
– Resolve the technology issues
• Join the Alliance
• Build the software
• Go for conformance

10. Contact Details:
www.psydev.com
pjn@psydev.com
www.linkedin.com/in/philnicholls
@psydevuk
Spec: www.imsglobal.org/lis
Alliance: www.imsglobal.org/developers/lisalliance