D2l

D2L, short for Desire2Learn, is a Canadian educational technology company known for its Brightspace learning management system (LMS). The company was founded in 1999 by John Baker in Kitchener, Ontario, and developed early online learning tools for postsecondary institutions and schools. It operates as a software-as-a-service provider, delivering its products through cloud-based platforms.

Brightspace is the company’s flagship product and is designed for higher education, K-12, and corporate training. The LMS supports course creation and content management, assignments, assessments, discussions, and gradebooks, along with portfolio capabilities and collaboration tools. It emphasizes analytics and reporting to track learner progress and outcomes. The platform supports standards such as SCORM and LTI, offers mobile access via native apps, and highlights accessibility and personalization to accommodate diverse learners.

D2L markets Brightspace globally, serving a range of clients including universities, school districts, government agencies, and enterprise training programs. The company provides associated services such as implementation, training, and customer support, with data hosted in regional data centers to address privacy and compliance requirements. Brightspace is positioned as a scalable LMS intended to support competency-based and outcomes-focused learning, with features that enable adaptive learning, rubrics, and performance analytics.

In summary, D2L is a Canadian ed-tech company whose Brightspace LMS is used across education and corporate contexts to facilitate online learning, assessment, and data-driven instruction, with an emphasis on accessibility, mobility, and customization.