LTG & Open LMS FAQ
We are excited to announce this change that will allow us to continue growing together and offering a better experience focused exclusively on you as an Open LMS customer. We know you may have many questions around this news. That is why we have created this brief “frequently asked questions” in order to give you a first idea of the adventure that we are going to travel together.
The Acquisition
With regards to the acquisition, two major events just happened:
- LTG Purchases Open LMS from Blackboard
Learning Technologies Group plc bought Open LMS from Blackboard and will transition its assets, clients, employees, etc. into a new company. This will happen over the next thirty days. - LTG and Blackboard sign Reseller Agreement
Blackboard and Learning Technologies Group entered into a reseller agreement which enables Open LMS to continue selling and supporting the full portfolio of Blackboard software products including Ally, Collaborate, and SafeAssign, among others.
Open LMS will operate as an independent business unit within LTG’s portfolio of companies. The acquisition enables Open LMS to directly align our efforts with the market and client demands and to bring the best solutions possible from the mix of Open Source, LTG’s, and Blackboard’s portfolios.
Who is LTG?
Learning Technologies Group (LTG) is a portfolio of award-winning education-related businesses, each specializing in different aspects of lifelong learning. Here’s a brief overview of the company’s history.
To date, LTG has focused on adult learners in the corporate space with a vision of being the global leader in workplace learning and talent development. The acquisition of Open LMS allows LTG to expand this vision by serving learners at all stages of the learning -> earning cycle.
What does LTG bring to Open LMS?
LTG brings investment, focus, and an expanded portfolio of products. LTG has a very strong invest-and-grow track record where it has helped to turbo-charge a company’s growth and that is the plan with Open LMS. LTG’s portfolio of education and talent products combined with the existing Blackboard portfolio gives Open LMS a very strong suite of additional tools with which we can combine to deliver a wider range of great teaching and learning solutions.
Why is this good for Open LMS clients?
This acquisition creates a lot of focus and new investment in Open LMS. We’ll use this additional investment to deliver some noticeable improvements over the next 12 months, some of which you’ll see nearly immediately. We will be sharing our vision, priorities, and roadmap with you within the next 60 days.
What happens to my contract?
Nothing. Technically, the only change to your existing contract will happen when your contract is “assigned” to the new company, but it will function the same as you would expect it to. The responsibilities of delivering on that contract for Open LMS will now just be done through another company, albeit one that is made up largely of the same people who worked on Open LMS before.
When your contract is up for renewal, your contract will be done through the new company, rather than through Blackboard.
Is my pricing going to change?
The pricing in your contract for all products is guaranteed for the term of your contract. We’ll also continue to sell the full portfolio of Blackboard software products (Ally, Collaborate, SafeAssign, etc.), which means no contractual changes for your full portfolio of products.
Will I work with different people?
Nearly all of the Open LMS support and services personnel that you work with on implementing and supporting your learners will continue to be part of the new Open LMS team. On the sales team, it depends on where you are in the world. One difference that you will see is that the account managers who are working on Open LMS are dedicated to Open LMS, and you should see a renewed focus on your needs and wants. Another difference is that we will have more people across all facets of the business—and all of them are dedicated to Open LMS, our clients, and our partners.
Will I continue to work with the same reseller?
Some of you work with local Open LMS resellers. If that’s the chase, we must admit that this is one area that is still in process. Open LMS hopes that existing resellers will continue to sell Open LMS with this new company. We are meeting with all of them to build that relationship. Fortunately, many of these resellers have worked with Open LMS for a long time.
What does this mean for Moodle™?
Open LMS was built by integrating 4 of the leading Moodle™ companies in the world, all of whom have been deeply engaged in the Moodle™ community from its inception. While the Moodle™ community is constantly changing, Open LMS has continued to be active in the Moodle™ community and that will continue.
Where can I learn more?
We’ll have blog posts, client communications, and a series of town hall meetings. Stay tuned for dates and times.
Additional resources
Blackboard’s press release
Blackboard’s blog posts
https://blog.blackboard.com/accelerating-our-efforts-to-drive-the-next-wave-of-edtech-innovation/
LTG news
https://www.ltgplc.com/news/ltg-to-acquire-blackboards-open-lms/
