Learning Management Systems: Commercial-off-the-shelf or Do-it-yourself?

Part of the e-learning experience is interacting with the software. Depending on the organization’s size, e-learners can expect online course content delivery through a robust commercial product such as WebCT (one of the many content/learning management systems (C/LMS)) or a locally developed multimedia product created from software such as Camtasia or Dreamweaver.

C/LMS are often expensive with cost savings usually a function of full-time enrollment (FTE) students; however, most of these systems are designed to manage content, course, and student work. Many C/LMS often provide the capability to design, store, and share content across all users. Training is generally available to provide instruction in using the application. Usually, dedicated technical support is provided with the subscription so instructors do not have to become technical experts. In some organizations, the instructor’s role is simply to teach the course. EduTools offers an excellent comparison tool to assist e-learning course developers and implementers in deciding which product is right for a particular application.
(http://www.edutools.info/item_list.jsp?pj=4)

Do-it-yourself products most likely will not contain the multi-functionality found in the commercial products. Chat, discussion board, and other collaborative tools, if required or desired, will have to be imported into the content. Course content, once developed, will require server upload. In this instance, the instructor most likely will have to know how to develop the content using a variety of software applications, and instruct the course. Perhaps an unintended consequence is the instructor becomes a software subject matter expert, which could mean the students will turn to the instructor for technical help.
(http://www.techsmith.com/camtasia.asp)
(http://www.adobe.com/products/dreamweaver/)

Commercial-off-the-shelf or do-it-yourself? It depends on the organization’s goals, personnel, and, ultimately, budget.