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Temple University Center for Research
in Human Development and Education |
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SIF is an
ongoing industry initiative led by the Software &
Information Industry Association (SIIA) since 1999 and
driven by leading providers of K-12 software and interested
educational organizations. The current SIF approved
specification, version 1.1, defines both a common format for
data used in different school information systems as well as
the structure of the protocols for such applications to
interact with one another. A set of instructional or
administrative software applications that are SIF compliant
communicate with each other securely through agents or
specialized interoperability modules, which interact with a
common "Zone Integration Server" acting as the central
control of all data interchanges. Multiple applications
running on different operating environments are thus
integrated in a "SIF Zone" independently of their particular
technical requirements, establishing a dynamic,
cross-platform, vendor-neutral data interchange. SIF data
structures are represented using the Extensible Markup
Language (XML)-an open standard for effective data
representation essential for the exchange of a wide variety
of data on the Web-and transmitted encrypted using the
Secure Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTPS). Reliance on
industry standards such as XML and HTTPS gives SIF both
flexibility and strength to evolve with the increasing
demands of emerging software systems. In addition, the
active participation of developers and practitioners in SIF
assures continuous development based on the needs of the
field. . |
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A district or school that uses SIF-compliant software
systems and has also implemented a Zone Integration Server
will avoid the need to reenter information in multiple
systems. It will also gain the ability to access data
originating in any of these systems "on demand" for cross
referencing, analysis, and reporting, thus opening a new set
of possibilities for the effective use of data in making
educational decisions. The complexities of successfully
developing an interoperability framework in a market-driven
field or implementing large-scale system solutions in
schools should not be overlooked (Branigan, 2002). The need
for data and systems interoperability in schools and
districts is so critical, however, that SIF may not be
growing at a fast enough rate to meet the demands. Ten pilot
SIF implementations-recently added to the four original
showcase sites (established in 2000) in school districts
around the United States-and a growing SIF compliance
program that includes most key vendors of school software
are starting to make this long awaited solution more
attainable. The Upper Dauphin Area School District in
Lykens, PA, is a rural school of about 1,400 students and
one of the original SIF showcase sites. The district, in
collaboration with the Central Susquehanna Intermediate
Unit, continues to make progress with SIF in its attempt to
achieve interoperability among the information systems it
uses. Technology Coordinator Bryan Campbell reports that the
district has focused on connecting student accounting
applications, student network account creation, point of
sale software, library software, and data warehouse
applications. Full operability of the implementation is
expected for the 2003-2004 school year.
SIF is currently expanding its original intent of achieving
data interoperability among software applications at the
school or district level ("horizontal interoperability") to
support the hierarchical transfer of information from
districts to states and from states to the federal
government. With the passing of the No Child Left Behind
legislation and the current attention to reporting and
accountability requirements, "vertical interoperability" is
expected to become a priority (SIIA, 2003a). As SIF develops
and more field-based implementations confirm the viability
and cost effectiveness of this approach to interoperability,
decision makers are encouraged to be informed about SIF,
consider it as part of their request for proposals and
purchasing processes of information systems, and require
software vendors to attend to the interoperability issues
addressed by SIF. An Implementation Planning Toolkit is
available from SIIA describing information about project
planning, data management, computer hardware, software,
networking, and budgetary and human resource needs and
strategies.
References
Branigan, C. (2002, June). Costs, complications slow SIF's
arrival in schools. Retrieved May 2003, from
http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/showStory.cfm?ArticleID=3817
Brunnermeier, S. B., & Martin, S. A. (1999, March).
Interoperability cost analysis of the U.S. automotive supply
chain: Final report. (RTI Project No. 7007-03). Retrieved
May 2003, from
http://www.mel.nist.gov/msid/sima/interop_costs.pdf
Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA). (2003a).
Improving data collection for implementation of the No Child
Left Behind Act. Retrieved June 2003, from
http://www.sifinfo.org/docs/SIF_NCLB_White_Paper.pdf
Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA). (2003b).
SIF implementation planning kit. Retrieved July 2003, from
http://www.sifinfo.org/docs/planning.zip
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Copyright 2001 © MARTEC
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