Skills2Learn has appointed e-Learning Analysts as a reseller of its HIV/AIDS e-learning software. e-Learning Analysts specialises in the design and implementation of e-learning solutions for corporate clients, mines and government.
Janine Appelgryn, director of e-Learning Analysts, says she came to know about the Skills2Learn HIV/AIDS software after attending a function to introduce the company's products.
"We were so impressed by the HIV/AIDS course that we applied to become resellers even though it is a deviation from our primary services."
The course is unique in that it imparts information and addresses behaviour, says Appelgryn. "Training and development in modern organisations are not only responsible for an increase in the skills level of employees, but they also need to impact on the culture of the organisation. This is so that development interventions result in behavioural change. Training should lead to a learning organisation so that employees are self-empowered. In that respect, this AIDS course is truly remarkable because it works with changing employee behaviour to combat the spread of AIDS. It is not only developed to transfer theoretical knowledge, but relates to behavioural issues that are essential in a change intervention - as is needed to address the AIDS issue in SA.
The course is South African-developed and e-learning-based; it is available in eight South African languages - Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans, English, Seswati, Sotho, Setswana and Sepedi.
It is designed for basic PC users and measures the student's understanding of the course, requires user intervention during the course, has a learning management system which deploys it on an intranet or network and provides organisational statistics on the number of users, time spent on the course and results of assessments.
"We see it as a complementary product which will not impact on our current services, but will enable us to offer a community service to our clients at an extremely affordable price."
Appelgryn says she will implement the course together with other material. "As we focus on e-learning consultation and do not sell courses from other vendors, this course will be used to complement other change interventions at potential clients, as a component of a bigger e-learning solution or as part of an employee benefit or enrichment programme. We will be selling this program separate from our other services, through a division solely focused on AIDS training."
Appelgryn says more AIDS training is needed in SA. "It is an organisation's responsibility to make sure employees are aware of and trained on all the facts about AIDS. It does not contribute to the bottom line in the way management training does, but it will prevent future social and organisational issues such as the shortage of skilled employees that will result from AIDS deaths. The topic can be addressed in an efficient, private and cost-effective way through e-learning and that is why we feel this could be the perfect solution for AIDS training."
Skills2Learn chairman Frank Keery adds that the course material is available to people who do not have access to computers. "The materials have been written in such a way that they are deployable on a computer for a single person, or two to three users around a PC. They can be projected on to a screen for an audience - this takes only one computer and a projector. Where no computers are possible, written manuals are available which contain all the course materials in both student and instructor formats."
Course materials can also be provided in audio tape format, in eight languages, for standalone use or for use in conjunction with the printed manual.
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Skills2Learn, a provider of world-class e-learning courseware and services, serves its worldwide customers' e-learning systems requirements completely, consistently and affordably, leading its staff and suppliers in achieving this goal. It is dedicated to increasing the quality, reliability, performance, and value of its e-learning products and services on an ongoing basis.
Skills2Learn strives to positively impact the global communities where it conducts business, in particular assisting the disadvantaged in their quest to compete in the digital revolution. It brings best-of-breed learning tools to emerging markets at a price and value that makes mass access possible.
Together with US-based In2ition, Skills2Learn specialises in IT-intensive educational courseware, as well as soft skills training, delivered in a variety of electronic formats. It also provides learning management systems to assist in tracking and managing employee progress through the training process.
Skills2Learn recently released a South African first HIV/AIDS e-learning program, in an interactive story format, concentrating on behavioural modification as well as education.
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