Guidelines represent an important instrument in the development of Web-based trainings (WBTs). They help to create reliable, portable, and interoperable, standardized WBTs of high-quality. The development of guidelines can be considered as a key success factor regarding the effectiveness of WBTs. The effects of guidelines can be both favourable and restrictive. Guidelines which are too rigid and strict could have counterproductive effects, therefore an optimum at guidelines is to be aimed at. This article discusses potentialities and restrictions of WBT guidelines. It can thus be of assistance in the project-specific development of guidelines. The importance of guidelines is illustrated by a case study of the inter-universitarian e-learning network Winfoline.

Learning technology standards are increasingly gaining in importance in the field of Web-based teaching. At present, two standards dominating the market are taking shape. These are the SCORM standard of the ADL initiative and the AICC standard of the AICC organization. Based on the AICC and LOM meta data standards, the SCORM standard stands the chance to become the standard dominating the market. A number of restrictions are involved with the SCORM standard, though. The article shows general deficiencies of the SCORM standard that are critical concerning the market value of SCOs, the process of producing WBTs on the basis of different SCO providers, the maintenance of SCOs and WBTs (consisting of several SCOs), and the quality of WBTs based on SCOs of different providers.