Solis Launches Pathway for Windows

Solis, a leading supplier of multimedia training products and services, has
announced the launch of Pathway for Windows, the most versatile and
powerful computer managed instruction (CMI) system now available.

Pathway is a complete multimedia courseware integration tool. Designed for
stand-alone and local area network (LAN) environments, it organizes
discrete courses into customizable curricula, launches all courses through
a single user-friendly interface, and tracks learner performance to
virtually any database. The tool gives training administrators complete
control over learning activities, including enrollment, prerequisites,
passing grades, passwords, rosters, and other parameters.

"Pathway means unprecedented flexibility and cost-effectiveness in training
automation," said Tom King, Director of Professional Services at Solis.
"Instead of developing a CMI system from scratch or purchasing an
expensive customized system, organizations can use Pathway to integrate
their existing computer based training, and store learner performance data
in their existing data bases. This approach saves money now and keeps
options open for the future."

"Pathway is the most sophisticated CMI system on the market," said Jeff
Burton, Director of Software Engineering at Solis. "We designed it as an
open system. On the integration side, you can launch courseware developed
in Authorware Professional, Icon Author, Visual Basic, Multimedia Toolbook
- in fact, it'll work with any authoring system. On the tracking side,
Pathway can be linked to any database that is ODBC-compliant [Open Data
Base Connectivity], which means everything from Oracle to Access. Plus the
interface is a great leap forward in CMI user-friendliness."

The product will appeal to any organization that needs an advanced
curriculum integration tool, but particularly to organizations that must
meet regulatory training requirements (e.g., OSHA), that have large
learner populations, or that certify learners in different competency
areas. This includes medium to large organizations in aviation, financial
services, health care, manufacturing, utilities and other industries.

Pathway comes bundled with Pathmaker, a curriculum designer. With
Pathmaker, training managers can design curricula to suit the competency
requirements of different learner populations. Pathmaker can set
prerequisites, beginning and expiration dates for courses, review options,
and many other parameters.

Features of Pathway

Pathway is a full-featured computer managed instruction (CMI) system for
Windows. It offers unprecedented flexibility in integrating, delivering,
controlling, and tracking multimedia learning activities.

* Navigates through computer and non-computer based learning materials
* Tracks learner activities and performance in computer-based learning
  materials
* Provides administrators control over rosters, enrollments,
  and reports
* Controls access to training
* Security feature can require log-on with password
* Provides automatic time-out feature
* Can specify a start date that prevents learners from accessing
  a course before a certain date
* Can restrict access to Windows desktop for learners. This
  contributes to system security.
* Provides three ways to filter rosters. Filter facility is available
  in roster screen, enrollment screen and for reports. Administrators
  can work with a subset of the entire roster.
* E-mail system allows learners and administrators to communicate
* Launches any DOS program that can be run under Windows
* Stores learner performance information in any database that has an
  ODBC driver. The ODBC (Open Database Connectivity) specification
  is supported by most popular database vendors, including Microsoft,
  Oracle, Sybase, Watcom and others.
* Supports customized linkage to other databases
  (e.g., human resources data base)
* Designed to comply with the AICC (Airline Industry Computer-based
  training Committee) international CMI standards. AICC is not
  industry-specific, and any authoring system can produce compliant
  activities. Pathway works with compliant and non-compliant
  programs.
* Written in C++ for maximum efficiency and performance
* Uses Microsoft Windows Multiple Document Interface
* Provides on-line help
* Runs on any screen resolution from 640x480 to 1024x768 and higher

Features of Pathmaker

* Pathmaker is a complete curriculum designer. It functions as an
  outliner, pulling various training resources into a single file
  to create a course. Pathway uses course files to route learners
  to activities.
* Ties individual learning activities together
* Accommodates complex course structures, with no limits on number
  of levels in hierarchy
* Features DOS path synchronization to help keep file paths consistent
  and manage file directories and locations
* Can specify expiration dates for courses, and restrict access after
  the specified date
* Supports required, optional, introduction, and epilogue assignment
  styles
* Allows user to input completion date
  (e.g., for non-computer based activities)
* Supports both a description and location of non-computer based
  activities
* Supports four different review options including unrestricted
  review, restricted after a specific number of accesses, review
  until complete, and review until passed
* Supports time delay to prevent review of an activity after an access
* Includes time estimates for activities
* Provides option to indicate scoring for an activity
  (e.g., maximum score, passing grade)
* Able to weight activity scores, indicating relative importance
  of activities
* Option to turn question/quiz data tracking (item analysis) on or off
* Supports activity and topic prerequisites
* Presents activities one at a time or all at once, as desired
* Prints course outlines

System Requirements

Microsoft Windows 3.1
VGA display, 256 colors
4 MB RAM
ODBC database engine driver

For More Information

Pathway is now available.  For more information and a free working model,
contact Solis at (415) 696-8700, or by fax (415) 696-8703.

About Solis

Solis is a multimedia consulting company that focuses on three core
business areas - multimedia learning integration, interactive multimedia
development, and training of multimedia developers. Solis is a Macromedia
Authorized Training organization and has offices in San Mateo, CA and
Hudson, WI.

Solis
107 South B Street, Suite 350
San Mateo, CA 94401
415-696-8700 (voice)
415-696-8703 (fax)
solisinc@aol.com

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