Resumo
Abstract This paper presents the evaluation of a set of six authoring tools for SCORM-conform learningobjects. The tools are validated according to two criteria: usability and effectiveness. Usability is measured through the application of two distinct sets of usability heuristics after the production of a learning object with a predefined content. Utility is measured through the evaluation of the quality of the learning objects produced with each tool through the application of a third, specific, set of heuristics. In order to allow a comparative evaluation of both, the tools and the produced learning objects, a reference learning object was taken, which was previously professionally produced in the context of a large distance learning initiative, and which was then reproduced as faithfully as possible with each of the tools. The authoring tools were previously systematically selected from an universe of 14 free tools.