When you are looking for a good eLearning authoring tool, there are a lot of different options to choose from!
With so many choices, it can be difficult to determine which tool is the best fit for your needs.
In this article, we discuss the 15 best eLearning tools for creating localized courses, as well as the benefits of using such tools.
Let's get started…
What is an eLearning authoring tool?
An eLearning authoring tool is a software application used to create online learning content. It allows for easy creation of instructional materials, including text, audio, video, and other multimedia elements. It is an essential tool for creating training content within a global business.
The most common consumers of eLearning content will be your company's employees, partners, and customers. When these people are located in your international markets, it's important to that you can localize the content in your authoring tool so you can reach them most effectively.
The benefit of localized courses for global businesses
There are some key benefits to creating localized eLearning courses.
One benefit is that localization allows you to tailor your content to meet the specific needs of each of your markets. This can be important when the training content touches on cultural and other differences that are not applicable in your home market. For example, compliance training may differ across the world.
Also, localized courses make it easier for your learners to connect with the material. They see themselves reflected in the training content. This can help them feel a stronger affinity for your company and improve their learning outcomes.
But, localization isn't easy.
You need to make sure that your content creation processes are well-designed for localization. Otherwise, you can end up with errors, inconsistencies, and inefficiencies.
Creating high quality localized courses starts with using the right eLearning authoring for the job.
15 Best eLearning authoring tools for creating localized courses
There are many great eLearning authoring tools on the market. At Rubric, we have integrated our clients' content processes with various tools for their localization projects.
Here are 15 of the most common eLearning authoring tools on the market, listed in alphabetical order:
Adapt
Adapt is a popular authoring tool known for its simple interface. It has limited translation features but is free.
For localization, you first create a master course, then export the text into language files. After translation, you re-import the translations and link it with the course assets.
Adobe Captivate
Adobe Captivate is a popular and powerful eLearning authoring tool. It is well-suited to experienced users who are comfortable with its advanced features.
Captivate is designed to enable rapid translation and supports simultaneous translation into multiple languages. It also has built-in options like a localized user interface and translated captions.
Articulate Replay
Articulate is the industry-leader in eLearning authoring tools and offers various products.
Articulate Replay is the company's solution for recording and editing video and screen recordings, to include in your localized courses. It also offers features to add translated audio narration and captions.
Articulate Rise
Another Articulate product, Articulate Rise is one of the most popular eLearning authoring tools on the market. It's easy to use and has a ton of features that streamline the localization process for mobile-responsive courses.
Rise supports 3 different approaches your translators can use to translate course text: type directly into Rise's online user interface; copy and paste all translations using a localization-friendly file format; or use the software's export feature.
Articulate Storyline
Articulate Storyline has been around for years and offers a slightly more traditional interface than Rise. Its core functionality is to turn legacy PowerPoint courses into interactive eLearning courses.
It has an impressive array of customization options and offers many features for interactive course elements.
Articulate Studio 360
The final Articulate product in our list, Articulate Studio 360 is a cloud-based subscription service which incorporates various other Articulate tools.
Like other Articulate products, Studio 360 has built-in support for multiple languages.
Camtasia
Camtasia is a highly popular video editing suite that is commonly used by eLearning authors. The software has a built-in screen recorder, making it very easy to create video tutorials and how-to guides.
TechSmith, who are our clients at Rubric, creates the software. As you can imagine, its localization support is impressive.
Dominknow
Dominknow is a slightly complex authoring tool that is used to create eLearning content. It offers a number of features to create, manage, and localize your courses.
The software has two different translation workflows depending on your specific translation needs.
Elucidat
Elucidat is a cloud-based eLearning authoring tool that allows you to build your online courses with some pre-designed templates.
By using a "master course" in Elucidat, you create your course content in your source language. It then feeds this language into multi-language versions, allowing you to make global changes in one place.
Gomo
Gomo is also a cloud-based authoring tool, allowing you to make web-style learning content. It has an option for translated versions of the course to sit in one package, so learners can choose the language they most prefer from a drop down menu.
Another localization-friendly feature is XLIFF import and export, an industry-standard file format for localization.
iSpring Suite
iSpring Suite is a software tool for creating eLearning courses based around PowerPoint. It offers features to include quizzes, screen recordings, and videos, as well as other interactive features.
One localization feature that iSpring advertises is its artificial intelligence voiceover. This allows you to automatically create translated voiceovers using text-to-speech technology.
Knowledgeworker Create
Knowledgeworker Create is another cloud-based program for generating eLearning content. It provides features to incorporate images, media, and text blocks with questions and other interactive features.
It's not easy to find clear information online about how to localize Knowledgeworker Create. However, we have successfully integrated localization into the tool for some of our clients.
Lectora Inspire
Lectora used to be the industry-leading eLearning authoring tool. These days, it has been somewhat overtaken by Articulate.
Nevertheless, Lectora Inspire is still a comprehensive toolkit that allows you to create localized eLearning courses. You can change the language of your courses on the fly, as well as customize the look and feel for different markets.
Lectora Online
The cloud-based version of Lectora's software, Lectora Online offers some extras over their desktop version, such as access to the company's graphics libraries.
The localization features of Lectura Online are the same as for Lectora Inspire.
SAP Litmos
Finally, SAP Litmos is a content authoring system created by international software company SAP. Litmos includes tools for creating courses with media such as images, videos, animations, audio, and more.
The software offers multi-language and localization support.
How to select the best eLearning authoring tool for you
As a global company, it's important that you take time to evaluate your eLearning authoring tool.
In particular, you want to make sure that your chosen tool supports localization in a way that is easy and stress-free for your eLearning content creators. You want a platform that will easily accommodate different languages and regional regulations.
There are a lot of eLearning authoring tools out there, but not all are equal when it comes to localization.
If you would like help integrating your eLearning authoring tool with localization, get in touch and we can help you out