NAVIGATING E-LEARNING LOCALIZATION
A practical guide for translators, instructional designers and e-learning specialists
Common challenges and possible solutions in e-learning localization chapter
NAVIGATING E-LEARNING
LOCALIZATION
A practical guide for translators, instructional designers and e-learning specialists
Preparing e-learning materials for a global audience. Internationalization, neutralization, translation and localization
Who’s involved in the process? Key roles and stakeholders
Step 0. Internationalization. Laying the foundation for effective e-learning localization
Localization workflow
Step 1. Finalizing the source version
Step 2. Extracting content for translation
Step 3. Translation
Step 4. Reengineering
Quality assurance: ensuring the accuracy of localization
Common challenges and possible solutions in e-learning localization
Streamlining e-learning localization with AI: innovative tools for smarter, faster, and more-cost effective multilingual content
06.
COMMON CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS
IN E-LEARNING LOCALIZATION
Localizing a course that was not planned for localization
It is never too late to do things right, it is then completely possible to localize your e-learning project as long as you are ready to make some extra effort. The good news is that you can still follow exactly the same workflow presented previously in this guide.
However, there will be challenges to solve before you can start your localization. Based on the specific circumstances, challenges will vary but some of the most usual are the following:
• The e-learning project was developed with a tool or tools that do not streamline translation.
• The e-learning project doesn’t adhere to AA-level accessibility standards, multimedia components do not have captions nor transcript and they might also have text embedded, images might not have alt-text and screen readers might not be able to read the content when using keyboard navigation.
• The layout doesn’t accommodate text expansion to allow for increase in text length.
• The content is very country or region specific.
• The images containing text cannot be edited because the vector files are missing.
• possible solution: The e-learning project should undergo internationalization before moving on further in the localization process. This might entail:
• Moving the project to a new authoring tool that will allow for text extraction in particular if translation into other languages will be necessary. This is usually a huge investment that will nevertheless pay on the long-term, in particular when the project will need updating or a new language version should be localized.
• Captioning and transcribing video and audio. AI-powered tools can be a life-saver in this case. Check out the next chapter to get some ideas to automate this process.
• Editing embedded text in images. Many well-known graphic design tools offers now AI-powered functions that will help you erase the embedded text and create a text layer that you will be able to edit in the future.
• Reviewing the instructional design and edit the content and activities as needed to make them flexible and easier to localize.
Once you have sorted this out, follow the steps presented earlier to successfully complete the localization process.
Managing Updates and Revisions
• Version control:
Managing updates across multiple localized versions is often one of the most challenging aspects of e-learning localization. When the source version of the course is updated, all localized versions must be revised accordingly to maintain consistency across languages.
• possible solution:
Implement a detailed QA checklist (refer to Section 5) for each version. Establish a clear workflow between translators, project managers, and e-learning specialists to ensure that updates are applied in a coordinated and consistent manner across all versions.
• Tracking changes: Keeping track of revisions across multiple versions can quickly become overwhelming if not carefully managed.
• possible solution: Implement a detailed QA checklist (refer to Section 5) for each version. Establish a clear workflow between translators, project managers, and e-learning specialists to ensure that updates are applied in a coordinated and consistent manner across all versions.
• Consistency across versions: It is essential to maintain consistency across all localized versions, not only in terms of content but also in user interface and multimedia elements. Changes in one version should be reflected across all versions.
• possible solution: Ensure that XLIFF files are updated in the translation memory to automatically apply consistent changes across all language versions. Regularly synchronize content across versions to avoid discrepancies and ensure that all learners have the same experience, regardless of language.
Regional Variations Within One Language
• Even within a single language, there can be significant regional variations. For example, Spanish used in Spain differs in vocabulary, tone, and even grammatical structures from Spanish used in Latin America. This makes it challenging to create one standardized localized version, as each region may require specific adjustments.
• possible solution:
It’s essential to determine the primary target audience within a language group and decide whether separate regional versions are necessary. This could include adjusting idiomatic expressions or cultural references to fit regional expectations.
Hard truths from my e-learning localization projects
Case Study:
When internationalization falls short: solving accessibility and asset challenges
• About the project
I was brought onboard to localize five e-learning modules into Spanish and French for an international human rights organization. However, it quickly became clear that the original English modules had not been developed with internationalization in mind. They lacked essential accessibility features like captions, alt-text, and transcripts, and many images contained embedded text. To make matters more challenging, the organization did not have the original editable files for these images, complicating the localization process even further.
• The challenge
The lack of internationalization in the original modules created challenges that impacted both accessibility and localization:
1. Missing accessibility features: Captions, alt-text, and transcripts were absent, requiring these elements to be created from scratch to meet AA-level standards.
2. Embedded text in images: Many images contained text that needed translation, but the organization lacked the original editable files, making it difficult to adapt the content for Spanish and French versions.
3. Time-intensive workarounds: The absence of internationalizationfriendly practices meant additional time and effort were required to reengineer the source content and ensure quality in the localized modules.
• The solution To overcome these challenges, I implemented the following solutions:
• Creating accessibility features: Develope captions, alt-text, and transcripts for all modules, ensuring they met AA-level accessibility standards.
• Reengineering images: By exporting the modules as zip files, I retrieved the images and illustrations. I manually extracted the embedded text, included it in the translation files, and edited the images to replace the text with translated content in the final modules.
• Strengthening the localization process: Despite the extra workload, I ensured all localized content adhered to accessibility and internationalization standards, delivering modules that were both inclusive and high-quality.
• What I learned
This project reinforced the importance of incorporating internationalization principles from the very beginning of e-learning development. By planning for flexibility and accessibility upfront, you can save significant time and effort during localization.
Key takeaways from this experience include:
• Prioritize internationalization: Ensure that all content—including multimedia assets like images, videos, and audio files—is designed for easy adaptation. This means
avoiding embedded text in images and using editable file formats.
• Accessibility as a standard: Accessibility features such as captions, alt-text, and transcripts should be integrated into the source content to avoid duplicating effort during localization.
• Ensure comprehensive handover: At the end of any project, it’s critical to receive a complete handover of all files, including assets used in the modules. This simplifies the localization process and ensures nothing is lost.
This project reminded me that while challenges can be addressed, proper planning and internationalization practices are the foundation of efficient, high-quality localization.
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Streamlining e-learning localization with AI: innovative tools for smarter, faster, and more cost-effective multilingual content
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