The invention and widespread use of the internet fundamentally changed the way we connect, communicate, and learn. We can now teach and learn at lightning speed across the globe with a few mouse clicks. Consumers are hungry for information so it’s obvious why we’ve seen such exponential growth in the eLearning sectors as well as within almost all industry verticals where courses are being developed to train employees or teach end clients about products and services. Further, online education and training can contain videos, written documents, slide shows, photos, quizzes, tests and more.

When teaching on the internet it’s important to remember that only about 25% of the world’s internet users speak English. In order to get the widest audience for your course, you need to think about localizing your content into multiple languages. At Ulatus, we incorporate “Glocalization” into the process and we are familiar with various Learning Management Systems and authoring tools to help you and your team(s) make course content both globally relevant and relatable for any target market. Globalized Editing ensures language use and references throughout the presentation are culturally accurate across the globe. Your course material will not only be translated but understandable and relatable to international students.

Here are some of the many benefits of eLearning Localization put into perspective:

Scalability: By working with a localization agency you can turn your English based content into a product that’s profitable in many countries at once. You can increase your audience size rapidly without actually creating new content. The ability to widen your market without the cost of recreating each course from scratch has a huge and positive impact on your revenue. There is a global appeal to eLearning as human beings are naturally curious and are forever changing, growing, and adapting. Localizing learning and training courses can help lift generations from poverty, provide better job opportunities and help companies expand internationally. The possibilities of scaling your digital content are endless.

Improve your Course Consistency: With localized courses, you can ensure that the information you are providing to multiple audiences is consistent. Course material first goes through a global editing process, eliminating references and ideas that are not easily translatable, creating a more universal message. The copy is then expertly translated and then proofread before localization is completed. Localization also ensures that references and photos are regional as well. Everything that can be standardized like time and units of measurements will be utilized. Once your material is translated and localized, you can be assured that your main ideas are coming across no matter what country or region you are teaching in. You can continue to localize your content to new markets as you grow. Fresh topics can be easily localized to all of your new markets.

Increase Cultural Relevancy: Many companies use eLearning to train their employees and provide continued access to job appropriate education. As your company expands internationally, you need to be able to provide training that is easily consumable by your overseas employees. Creating localized eLearning courses gives all employees an equal starting point and lets them know that you value both their language and cultural differences. This creates a strong, inclusive company culture. People like to look at images and hear antidotes that are relevant and familiar to them. Taking the time to include their culture also shows that you are committed to working with them and have respect for them as students or as employees.

Increase Course Competency: When you localize your eLearning course material, you are doing far more than a direct word for word translation. You are adding culturally appropriate nuances, photos and that make the learner feel comfortable. When eLearning isn’t localized, non-English students are not only trying to assimilate new information but are also struggling to learn and retain that information while trying to make sense of cultural norms they are not accustomed to. This negatively impacts the speed and accuracy of learning. By localizing your content, rather than just translating it, you make sure that all learners have an equal playing field. You will see dramatically increased levels of performance across the board. Test scores will improve and students will be motivated to continue their education or training with you. This makes both the educators and the learners more efficient.

Mobilize Your Workforce: Another valuable gift we have received from the digital age is the ability to mobilize our workforce both at home and across the world. More and more people are working from home and even telecommuting to their places of employment from different states or countries. You can now hire a global workforce with business hours that span the entire day, increasing productivity through the roof. A diverse workforce calls for diverse training and eLearning content. Make onboarding, training and continuing education easy and enjoyable for all of your employees no matter where their workstation is located.

Localize your eLearning content and attract an international audience with Ulatus. Ulatus produces high-quality localization for all kinds of file formats, from online and interactive content, scripts, assessments and quizzes, professional studio voice-over recordings, onscreen mouse movement reproduction, multilingual content synching, course publishing, graphics localization, comprehensive multimedia authoring, and more.