Part 6. Human Resources Management

Chapter 410. Learning and Education

Section 8. Learning Management System Standards

6.410.8 Learning Management System Standards

Manual Transmittal

April 12, 2021

Purpose

(1) This transmits revised IRM 6.410.8, Learning and Education, Learning Management System Standards.

(2) This IRM establishes general policy and guidance needed to manage IRS use of the Department of the Treasury (Treasury) Integrated Talent Management (ITM) learning module, ITM Learning, as the new and official learning management system. This IRM addresses general guidelines.

Material Changes

(1) This IRM contains current information related to general policies of the Treasury ITM Learning module.

(2) This transmittal removes IRM 6.410.8.3, Learning Content Management System (LCMS) Policies, IRM 6.410.8.3.1, Hosting of Online Content within IRS E-Learning Architecture, IRM 6.410.8.3.1.1, Learning Content Management System (LCMS) Access for Employees and Non-Employees, and IRM 6.410.8.5, EBI System policies.

(3) This transmittal adds IRM 6.410.8.2, Overview of the Learning Innovation Office, IRM 6.410.8.3, ITM Learning Policy, IRM 6.410.8.4, Access to ITM and ITM Learning User Accounts, IRM 6.410.8.5, Use of the IRS Servicewide Course Catalog, IRM 6.410.8.6, Creating ITM Learning Items for Learn and Lead 24x7 Material, and IRM 6.410.8.7, Hosting of Online Courses or Content within ITM Learning.

Effect on Other Documents

(1) IRM 6.410.8, Learning and Education, Learning Technology Office Standards, dated October 16, 2012, is superseded.

Audience

(1) All IRS functional Leadership and Education (L&E) program managers, employee development specialists, education specialists and others involved in training activities within each business unit.

Effective Date

(04-12-2021)

Robin D. Bailey Jr., IRS Human Capital Officer

6.410.8.1 (04-12-2021)

Program Scope and Objectives

  1. This transmittal replaces IRM 6.410.8, Learning and Education, Learning Technology Office Standards, and provides guidance for the IRS's new learning management system, ITM Learning.

  2. Audience: This IRM is intended for use by all IRS L&E program managers, employee development specialists, education specialists and others involved in training activities within each business unit.

  3. Policy Owner: The Human Capital Office (HCO) owns this IRM.

  4. Program Owner: The HCO, Office of HR Strategy, Enterprise Talent Planning and Development (ETPD), Servicewide Training Management and Programs (STMP), is responsible for the administration, development, and updates related to this IRM.

  5. Primary Stakeholders: All Servicewide L&E organizations.

  6. Program Goals: This IRM supports ETPD’s goal to provide tools for developing, retaining, and transitioning a highly skilled and high-performing workforce to support IRS mission accomplishments by providing policy on the ITM Learning module.

6.410.8.1.1 (04-12-2021)

Background

  1. This IRM provides essential information on education policy and procedures pertinent to the ITM Learning module.

6.410.8.1.2 (04-12-2021)

Authority

  1. “The U.S. Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) mission is to ensure the Federal Government has an effective civilian workforce. To help accomplish the mission, it is important to collect accurate, comprehensive training information and make it available to decision-makers and others who have a vested interest in the training activities of the Federal government.” See: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/training-and-development/reporting-training-data/

  2. The ITM Learning module is the official system of record for recording and tracking training data for the IRS and is recognized by OPM and Treasury. The ITM system is a web-based application that managers, employees, and the L&E community access from their desktop computers to manage training and employee development. Employees can also access and launch web-based training directly from ITM. Access the ITM system and ITM Learning module at: https://irssource.web.irs.gov/Pages/ITM.aspx

6.410.8.2 (04-12-2021)

Overview of the Learning Innovation Office

  1. The Learning Innovation Office (LIO) is a program management office within the Virtual Learning Management Office (VLM), within ETPD.

  2. The LIO is responsible for connecting new technologies with learning to transform professional development of Servicewide customers.

  3. The LIO maintains and supports the IRS’s use of ITM Learning with an ITM Learning Program Management team.

6.410.8.3 (04-12-2021)

ITM Learning Policy

  1. Below are established policies that relate to ITM Learning, as determined by the system owner, Treasury. Treasury manages the learning module configuration and setup for all Treasury bureaus. Each bureau is responsible for maintaining their own internal standard operating and use procedures.

  2. The ITM Learning Program Management team develops and maintains a standard set of job aids for use by Servicewide learning management administrations, managers and employees.

6.410.8.4 (04-12-2021)

Access to ITM and ITM Learning User Accounts

  1. Access to ITM

     

    The ITM system uses Single Sign-On (SSO) for access, which allows government personnel to securely access different applications using their Personal Identity Verification/Smart ID card and PIN. This process is secure and complies with the Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12.

  2. ITM and ITM Learning User Accounts

     

    • Employees of the IRS automatically have access to the ITM system and ITM Learning module once they have a complete HR Connect employee user record.

    • Contracted employees who have an adjudicated background check history and a complete HR Connect user record will automatically have access to the ITM system and ITM Learning module.

    • Non-personnel, such as volunteers and individuals from other federal, state, local government and charitable organizations, do not have HR Connect employee records. Therefore, they will not be given access to the ITM system or ITM Learning module for any reason or purpose.

6.410.8.5 (04-12-2021)

Use of the IRS Servicewide Course Catalog

  1. Business units are responsible for adding their course records to the IRS Servicewide course catalog. This provides searchability and description access to all IRS users of ITM Learning.

  2. Exceptions to this policy are:

    • Business units can determine that a course should not be viewable in the Servicewide catalog and can choose to not add it. This determination should be based on protecting the course content, avoiding disclosure of secure content, or ensuring that a specific course is available to only their employee population based on a specific job and its training requirements. Online items should not be added to the IRS catalog if disclosure or security is a concern.

    • Chief Counsel and Criminal Investigation online course items should never be added to the IRS Servicewide course catalog.

6.410.8.6 (04-12-2021)

Creating ITM Learning Items for Learn and Lead 24x7 Material

  1. This policy establishes guidance allowing an ITM Learning Item and/or Curricula record to be created when Learn and Lead 24x7 subject matter pertains to IRS learning curricula offered in ITM Learning.

  2. Learn and Lead 24x7 is an e-learning resource for self-directed learning. There are numerous subject areas covered in a large variety of online books, videos and other learning content that can be used for employee training and knowledge support.

  3. When an ITM Learning Item record is created for Learn and Lead 24x7 material, the record Item Type should reflect Reading.

6.410.8.7 (04-12-2021)

Hosting of Online Courses or Content within ITM Learning

  1. This policy establishes guidance on the location and criteria for hosting IRS online courses and content used from ITM Learning.

  2. All online course content accessed from ITM Learning must meet Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and online content technical standards.

  3. Online content provided for use through ITM Learning must be routed to the ITM system environment and hosted within the ITM Learning content repository. Online content includes, but is not limited to, commercially developed and purchased content, IRS-developed or customized content, and other governmental agency developed content.

  4. The hosted online content to be stored in the IRS location of the ITM Learning content repository must comply with IRS e-learning at: https://portal.ds.irsnet.gov/sites/vl033/Pages/default.aspx, Aviation Industry Computer-Based Training Committee (AICC) at: https://www.elearninglearning.com/aicc/scorm/standards/, or Sharable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM) standards at:https://portal.ds.irsnet.gov/sites/vl033/Pages/default.aspx.

  5. All content developed by the IRS, other government agencies or vendors must meet IRS e-learning standards, which include accessibility requirements to comply with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Content developers must test their content and ensure it is 508 compliant before being made available from ITM.