ELBA, the e-learning toolbox and a project of LET, and iTools, a project of the University Berne aim to provide simple, independently applycable single applications. This should guarantee a low-threshold application of tools to inexperienced e-learning users. The tools such as forum, wiki or survey should be learnable within minutes to hours, immediately allocateable and reduced to the primary functions. They support and complement the teaching activity of students and academics in the sense of the blended-learning-approach.

iTools of the University Berne has been offering e-learning-tools in ILIAS as a single application. This offer has been used frequently. Additional needs have arisen, especially by users who do not wish to deal with an entire e-learning platform.

The e-learing toolbox (ELBA) of the ETH Zürich offers tools as different, individual independent applications (see also the ELBA-Homepage). Also they now offer a forum in ILIAS. It would be of great advantage for clients (and for providers too), who often use other offers within ELBA, if appearance and handling of the tools were consistent.

ETH Zurich and University of Berne are relaunching the ELBA/iTools idea with a new project ELBA2 within ILIAS. ILIAS is very suitable for the use of tools as single applications – due to the flexible role management system. The main strength of this concept is that with a low-threshold approach in ILIAS, single applications and modules can operate outside a course’s content or can be inserted into a course or group anytime. From the technical point of view, a kiosk modus allows access to certain ressources as well as simple linking of single applications through URL rewriting. To assure a low-threshold of applications, adaptions of the appearance, as well as the operation and navigation of ILIAS become essential.