The label chosen for Microsoft Live Services Plug-in for Moodle is rather self explanatory. Nonetheless, Microsoft has made available for download a free and open-source plug-in for Moodle, designed to bridge the web-based Course Management System (CMS) (also referred to as Learning Management System (LMS) or Virtual Learning Environment (VLE)) with the company's Live@edu services. The Redmond company underlined that the plug-in was an open-source project released under version 2 of the General Public License and that it was available for free to all users.

“This means that teachers and institutions can download the plug-in under a widely used open source license agreement and under the same terms that Moodle itself is licensed,” revealed Microsoft Open Source Community Manager Peter Galli. “This approach underscores Microsoft's commitment to interoperability and open standards, as well as to collaboration so as to help customers, partners, educators and students across the world be successful in a heterogeneous technology world. With the Live Services Plug-in, educators can email class notes and lecture slides to everyone in the class as well as send alerts regarding homework assignments or quizzes – all from within the same environment.”

With Moodle members of education organizations can build online learning sites, and now Microsoft comes to extend the web app with its own set of services designed for educators. What the plug-in allows is for site administrators to make available Live Services, including email, instant messenger, and calendar into Moodle.

“This newly integrated experience is accessible via a single username and password. We believe this experience will enable more teachers and students to quickly and easily access the Live@edu resources they already use to efficiently communicate, collaborate and learn,” noted L. Michael Golden, corporate vice president, Education Products Group.

Microsoft Live Services Plug-in for Moodle is available for download here.