| With the coming of computers and the internet | | | | being of the Sakai CLE, the Sakai Project was |
| reaching to almost every nook and corner, | | | | initiated by the Mellon Foundation. The |
| communicating to any part of the world, | | | | various educational institutions which played |
| across geographical boundaries, beyond | | | | a dominant role in the inception of the Sakai |
| continents is no more a difficult | | | | Project and which have thereby developed |
| proposition. This is how the internet has | | | | extensive course management systems include |
| facilitated the growth and development of | | | | Stanford University , Indiana University, |
| online education which involves various | | | | University of Michigan , Massachusetts |
| online courses designed by various institutes | | | | Institute of Technology. Recently, University |
| and on the completion of each course, online | | | | of Virginia has also decided to introduce |
| degrees are awarded to the successful | | | | Sakai . |
| candidates. It is necessary to point out that | | | | |
| online education depends primarily upon the | | | | The Sakai software system possesses the |
| close interaction between the tutors and th | | | | various common features that are present in |
| students online and for this purpose there | | | | the course management systems. These include |
| are various significant software tools which | | | | chats, wiki, online assessments and |
| have been devised to aid in effective course | | | | gradebooks, RSS reader and uploading |
| management online. These applications can be | | | | facilities of assignments. The Sakai |
| referred to as Learning Management Systems, | | | | Foundation is a non-profit organization which |
| Virtual Learning Environments and Course | | | | boats of a huge and growing membership of |
| Management Systems. Sakai refers to a | | | | educational institutions which come together |
| conglomeration of educational institutions, | | | | in order to facilitate the spread of |
| individuals and commercial organizations | | | | education and research online and it is |
| which work for the development of a | | | | possible for the various members to benefit |
| Collaboration and Learning Environment to | | | | from the software applications of Sakai . |
| CLE. The Sakai CLE is a free and open source | | | | However, it is necessary to point out in this |
| software based on Java and is circulated | | | | case that it is not necessary for one to be a |
| under the authority of the Educational | | | | user of the Sakai software applications in |
| Community License, aiding considerably in the | | | | order to be a member of the Sakai foundation. |
| imparting of knowledge through online | | | | The main purpose of the foundation is to |
| education. This educational learning software | | | | ensure the spread of knowledge through the |
| platform is used commonly used by the various | | | | use of better software applications which |
| educational institutions offering online | | | | will aid the interaction between the tutors |
| educational courses. Prior to the coming into | | | | and students considerably. |