Enhancing Interoperability between Digital Libraries and Educational Technology via XML Crosswalks

Raymond Yee
Technology Architect, Interactive University Project
University of California, Berkeley

Lack of interoperability among software systems and repositories from different domains is a major barrier to the exchange of digital content. The UC Berkeley Interactive University Project (IU) has been exploring how semantic interoperability in the following four domains can be enhanced through the use of XSLT-based crosswalks between key XML specifications: 1) digital libraries and repositories (METS); 2) educational technologies (SCORM, IMS specifications); 3) Web syndication and portal technologies (RSS); and 4) desktop applications and structured content authoring tools. (e.g., Microsoft Office 11). The outcome of this work includes crosswalks among METS, SCORM/IMS-CP, and RSS and an exploratory architecture and software prototypes for the deployment of crosswalks. The IU will relate the crosswalks to other approaches to semantic interoperability.