The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness (OUSD P&R) was tasked with leading a collaborative effort to harness the power of information technologies to modernize structured learning.  Through the sponsorship of the OUSD P&R, the creation of the Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL) Initiative was formed as a developer and implementer of learning technologies across the Department of Defense (DoD).

ADL employs a structured, adaptive, collaborative effort between the public and private sectors to develop the standards, tools and learning content for the learning environment of the future.  The vision of the ADL Initiative is to provide access to the highest-quality learning and performance aiding that can be tailored to individual needs and delivered cost-effectively, anytime and anywhere.

For additional information on the ADL Initiative refer to the ADL Common Questions section and/or the ADL Strategic Plan.

In 1999, the ADL Initiative created the first of several ADL Co-Laboratories (ADL Co-Labs) in Alexandria, Virginia.  The ADL Co-Laboratory (ADL Co-Lab) Hub is the main ADL Co-Lab and ADL's central organization for guiding, coordinating and integrating the operations of the ADL Co-Lab Network.  Refer to the Co-Lab Network section for information on the other ADL Co-Labs.

>> Introduction to SCORM and the ADL Initiative

>> ADL: A Global View

>> ADL Initiative Status and ADL Co-Lab Network

>> ADL: New Policies, New Partnerships

>> ADL-R / CORDRA / Status of SCORM

ADL Leadership

Robert A. Wisher, Ph.D., is the Director of the ADL Initiative for the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD). Dr. Wisher is responsible for directing and implementing the ADL Initiative within the Department of Defense (DoD), as well as other government organizations, academia and industry on an international basis. He also provides direction for the development and refinement of the Sharable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM) and for the continued expansion of the ADL Initiative.