Elearning tools are the components that can help you in the creation of well-optimised, interactive and immersive elearning content. There are numerous authoring tools available for elearning developers and authors. These tools can be used for designing a course or presentation in an interactive way, which allows the learners to engage with the content by adding pictures, audio and multimedia segments.
Here’s a list of some popular eLearning authoring tools:
Adobe Captivate
One of the first tools in the eLearning authoring space, Captivate is a desktop authoring tool, which unlike Articulate Storyline, is available for Windows and Mac. Captivate is a powerful eLearning tool for experienced authors to create complex interactive content and simulations, but is less suited to those new to eLearning authoring.
Adobe Captivate is the best elearning authoring tools for systems training. As of today hundreds of systems training modules with Captivate are assisting LMS users to curate elearning content such as software demonstrations, branched scenarios, software simulations, and randomized quizzes. For this reason, it is considered as one of the most popular software packages in the eLearning world for PowerPoint conversions and software simulations. It also supports responsive designs with integration of typekit fonts being the online repository of fonts and fluid boxes for an optimal viewing experience.
There are a wide range of prebuilt interactions and an asset library. Captivate 2019 also includes the ability to create VR projects and interactive videos.
Pros:
- Skilled authors can develop high quality interactive learning
- Convert PPT to eLearning
- Develop VR content
- Large range of third party templates available
Cons:
- Steep learning curve
- Requires complex custom logic
- Mobile responsive learning is limited to specific templates or fluid boxes
- Desktop based, therefore collaboration is challenging
Suitable for:
- Experienced learning authors looking to develop highly interactive content and simulations
- Users looking for quality over speed
Articulate Rise 360
Rise was released by Articulate as part of the 360 suite in 2016, and compared to Storyline, is targeted at novice users or those looking to put learning together quickly. It uses prebuilt interactions and drag and drop content blocks to build out your learning, making it easy to create high quality interactions. However, there isn’t much flexibility when compared to Storyline 360 or many of the other authoring tools available.
One of the best and amidst top 10 authoring tools, Articulate Storyline gives users the opportunity to download course materials directly to their mobile devices for offline viewing. With all of its features Articulate Storyline is an eLearning tool that offers for branched interactions. This tool has the potential to build exploratory learning experiences while being extremely easy to use. Furthermore, Articulate Storyline is an intuitive tool building cool HTML5 elearning content offering users full control over course creation.
Pros:
- Designed for easy course creation
- Access to Articulate Content Library 360
- Allows multiple authors to collaborate on learning
Cons:
- All courses end up feeling the same
- Cannot create complex interactions (however, you can import through Storyline 360)
- Mobile responsive
Suitable for:
- Those new to eLearning development
- Simple programs that need to be developed quickly
Lectora Online
Lectora Online is the cloud-based version of Lectora, one of the early eLearning authoring tools. Like Articulate Storyline and Adobe Captivate, its rich feature set comes at the cost of a steeper learning curve – to create truly great eLearning with Lectora Online, you need to be an experienced eLearning designer.
Lectora is one of the most loved tools for eLearning development and performs excellently on the accessibility and multi-device options. It is a content creation tool for supporting HTML5 for delivering various courses to tablets and mobile phones. It’s easier for ambitious teams to produce digital learning at scale. Also, one time publishing is required with Lectora and the rest of the content will be automatically detected if Flash or HTML5 media supports. Lectora amid the top 10 authoring tools is a great software due to its powerful ability to create interactions.
While Lectora Online can export device-responsive HTML5 content, the layout for each view needs to be done manually, adding significant development time. Lectora Online includes access to eLearning Brothers AssetLibrary with templates and stock assets.
Pros:
- Cloud-based
- Access to eLearning Brothers AssetLibrary
- Fully customisable
Cons:
- Steep learning curve
- Not truly mobile responsive (you need to create new views for each device)
- Complex user interface
Suitable for:
- Experienced learning designers
- Customised, highly interactive content and simulations
Gomo
Gomo produces mobile-first device responsive learning. Pre-built templates and the quick-start wizard help you get up and running quickly, and there are a range of interactive templates you can use. Gomo offers a range of themes that can be configured to suit your brand or project. Shared libraries and a team-based approach support collaboration.
Pros:
- Interactive templates
- Easy to learn
- Truly mobile-responsive
Cons:
- No WYSIWYG interface
- Fewer customisation options than some competitors
Suitable for:
- Organisations looking to build mobile-first content
EasyGenerator
As the name suggests, EasyGenerator focuses on creating learning easily and quickly. It is suitable for those without experience in eLearning authoring. In fact, the company encourages employee-generated content, enabling learners to create content themselves. You can drag and drop content blocks for questions, video and audio.
While EasyGenerator doesn’t have an asset library like some of the other authoring tools, it does have a range of course templates you can customise for your own organisation.
Pros:
- Easy to learn
- Ability to import PowerPoint
Cons:
- No inbuilt asset library
- Limited interaction types
Suitable for:
- Novice authors
- Organisations create a small number of courses
Elucidat
Elucidat makes it easy to develop digital learning at scale. It is cloud-based and has a strong focus on collaboration, with role-based permissions, multiple authors, and a central asset library. The library of prebuilt templates makes creating high quality learning easy, but more advanced users can use the ‘layout designer’ to build their own pages.
Listed among top 10 authoring tools, Elucidat is a collaborative, cloud-based e-learning authoring solution. It delivers engaging and informative learning content suitable for employers to drive down the cost of business-critical training. It offers users with formal, informal, and social learning opportunities through devices. Elucidat is a great tool to personalize your learning portal for each type of learner. It allows you to add or move the pages in your project easily. It also offers tailored page layouts for your projects with limitless possibilities.
Elucidat’s interaction types include social polling, gamification, flexible rules and branding options. The user interface is intuitive and you can build a course quickly using templates, content blocks and through adding style elements.
Pros:
- Great collaboration features
- Intuitive user interface
- Truly mobile responsive
Cons:
- Expensive unless you’re developing programs at scale
- No custom interactions
Suitable for:
- Large organisations developing learning at scale
- Dispersed teams
iSpring
iSpring works as a PowerPoint plugin, making for a familiar interface and allowing you to use a PPT as a starting point for the course. It includes a quizmaker, video and audio editor and conversation simulation tool.
Ready-made templates and the extensive asset library make it easy to build high quality learning. iSpring Space, included with the iSpring suite, is an online space for collaboration and review.
Pros:
- Extensive template and asset library
- Video and screencast recorder and editor
Cons:
- Only works in Windows
- Need PowerPoint installed to be able to use
Suitable for:
- Experienced PowerPoint users looking to develop eLearning
- Creating learning from existing presentations
H5P
H5P is an open source, free-to-use HTML5 authoring tool. With H5P, you can create mobile-friendly eLearning content such as presentations, interactive videos, or interactive books, or share content through games such as flashcards, or matching games.
It can be used in-browser, or included as a plug-in on Moodle, Drupal and WordPress. It isn’t designed to be exported to SCORM but this can be done through a plugin. H5P has an active user community where users share knowledge, content and interactions.
Pros:
- Free
- Simple to use
- Encourages anyone to create learning
Cons:
- Limited interactions (though this is growing)
- Cannot combine multiple interactions to create a course
- Not as versatile as the paid authoring tools
Suitable for:
- Subject matter experts with no eLearning experience
- Adding interactions to other pages such as Moodle
Raptivity
Raptivity is an online authoring tool that focuses on making learning more fun by offering different types of interactions that you might not see in other tools. It features responsive interactions and microlearning functionality.
Price: $149 annual sub
Paradiso
Paradiso offers comprehensive, award-winning solutions to produce excellent internal and customer-facing content. This content authoring tool is specifically designed to support training for solutions such as sales onboarding, training, and knowledge sharing to help companies connect with employees. Known for its learning solutions, Paradiso is the best elearning software that offers video-based content by allowing users to convert the data from PPTs, PDFs or web pages into videos to improve knowledge retention
Gomo
Gomo is the best elearning authoring tool used to collaboratively author and deliver digital learning content. Listed among the top 10 authoring tools, it is a cloud-based HTML5 tool used to create, discover, deliver and track video and eLearning content in a single as well as unified experience for the learners. This is a great tool as it delivers content across multiple platforms such as SCORM LMS, social media platforms or websites.
Conclusion
The options for e-learning content creation are continuing to grow, which is good news for the industry. As more tools are developed, the process becomes easier and faster, allowing writers to focus on creating engaging and effective courseware.