Applicable Product:

Peoplefluent Learning

Applicable Release:

All

Summary:

The Aviation Industry Computer-Based Training Committee (AICC) was an organization that established standards for eLearning content and Learning Management Systems (LMS). Though originally created for aviation training, the AICC standards became widely adopted across various industries for creating and delivering computer-based training (CBT).

Detailed Information:

What Are AICC Courses?

AICC courses refer to eLearning courses developed according to AICC specifications. These standards ensure that content created by different vendors can be packaged, delivered, and tracked consistently across compliant Learning Management Systems.

Key Features of AICC Courses

• Interoperability: AICC courses are designed to work seamlessly on any LMS that supports the AICC standard, making it easier to distribute training content widely.
• Packaging: AICC defines how course content should be packaged and described using an .au file (a simple text file with metadata).
• Communication Protocol: AICC specifies how the course content communicates with the LMS to report student progress, scores, completion status, and other important data.
• Content Structure: The courses can include multimedia elements like text, images, audio, video, quizzes, and interactive modules.

Why Are AICC Courses Important?

Before the widespread adoption of modern eLearning standards like SCORM and xAPI, AICC was one of the first standards to ensure:

• Standardized delivery: AICC courses can be launched and tracked on different LMS platforms without compatibility issues.
• Data tracking: The LMS can track learner progress, test results, and completion status, essential for compliance and certification.
• Vendor neutrality: Content developers can create courses without being locked into a single LMS vendor.

How Do AICC Courses Work?

When a learner launches an AICC course:

1. The LMS sends the course the necessary launch data (learner ID, session info, etc.) via a URL.
2. The course content runs in the learner’s browser or local environment.
3. The course communicates progress and assessment results back to the LMS using the AICC communication protocol (usually HTTP-based).
4. The LMS records the data to track completion and scores.

Comparison with Other Standards

• SCORM (Sharable Content Object Reference Model): The most popular eLearning standard today. SCORM provides more advanced communication, better sequencing, and a richer set of tracking features compared to AICC.
• xAPI (Experience API or Tin Can API): A modern standard that allows tracking learning experiences beyond the LMS, including mobile, offline, and informal learning.

Though AICC is less commonly used today, many legacy systems and courses still rely on it, and some LMS platforms maintain support for backward compatibility.

Benefits of AICC Courses

• Wide compatibility: Works on numerous LMS platforms supporting the AICC standard.
• Simplicity: Easy packaging and lightweight communication protocol.
• Longevity: Reliable for legacy systems and industries with long training cycles.

Limitations

• Less flexible than newer standards: AICC lacks advanced features like detailed tracking, complex sequencing, and offline support.
• Declining industry support: Many organizations are migrating from AICC to SCORM or xAPI for modern capabilities.