I'm wondering if anyone has any good ideas on how to build a course that delivers the content in multiple languages. I have a client that wants to build one course and deliver it to their global workforce (with one or two additional languages in addition to English). Is it just as simple as building a button(s) on the intro screen that will allow learners to choose their language? This would then branch to the language version of their choice. My only concern is that the couse would become too large in file size. Any other ideas would be appreciated! Thanks, Eric

Scale is a consideration. Smaller modules with few alternate languages might be perfectly manageable in a single Storyline file. In my experience, the easiest way to handle larger courses is to: 1) Build in a primary language. course-english.story 2) Use translation tools to build alternate packages. course-spanish.story, course-russian.story, course-german.story 3) Publish each course out to a separate SCORM module. Copy each module into a folder that clearly indicates the language. 4) Assemble them all into one SCO by creating a manifest (you could simply copy the manifest files from your primary publish) and pointing this manifest to launch an index.html file that links to a specific language. The LMS will launch this "Menu" and then the participant will receive a payload of the Storyline file in the selected language. There are a couple of advantages to this. First, it's actually a little easier to manage. You're working and publishing X number of separate simpler files than one monster. Second, it's less wasteful in bandwidth. Since it only loads a single published output instead of all of the languages. Plus each language can have a localized interface. This is described a bit here: https://community.articulate.com/discussions/articulate-storyline/localization-strategy-and-variables#reply-190324

I built a demo at a conference once where I created a default shape that had states for each language. I added triggers to the shape to change state based on the language variable. Then whenever I wanted to add something to the slide, I duplicated the shape. This copied the triggers. Then I added my content. I could export the word doc and then add my localized content where needed. And everything was a lot easier. I didn't have to build a bunch of versions. I just had to add my translation to the pre-established states. This takes some forethought, but once you have it built, it works well. I'll do a quick tutorial to show how it works.

We've done some of these and have usually just set triggers at the beginning to choose your language which takes you to the scene in the proper language. It works pretty well and is simple enough to do though you could have some pretty large file sizes especially if you are using many images. I've toyed around with Gary's idea using variables on an opening chose your language screen and then having the timeline read the variable for each slide to show the proper layer. That only seems to work if your structure is fairly simple, i.e. you don't have a lot of layers being triggered by buttons or other interactions. Another way using variable is to create states for every text item/caption/title, etc., one state for each language on every slide. So you would have an English state for each item, a Spanish state, a Japanese state, etc. And then at the start of the timeline for each slide you'd have it read the language variable and then change the state of each text item to that state. Seems like a lot of work but could be done. I did it once to create a single, multi-language quiz and I think it worked out OK.

Here's a quick demo hopefully it makes sense. The main point is that you create a starter object with a state for each language. That object has a trigger for each language to change to the appropriate state. When you duplicate the object, the triggers get duplicated, too. You can save this as a localized starter slide in your templates. http://artco-temp.s3.amazonaws.com/tom/localize_idea.mp4

So, it turns out that there is a way to use Javascript to have the Back, Next, and Submit buttons in the player change their text labels on a screen-by-screen basis. This allows those button to be localized in a multi-language, single SCO course. It's pretty easy to do, though as I understand it it may only work in HTML5, not Flash. On whatever slide/screen you want to change the player's button labels: Create a trigger to "Execute Javascript" Use the desired Javascript (see the 3 scripts below) and replace INSERT HERE with the text you want to display on the button. Set the trigger to fire when "Timeline starts" Repeat this process on whatever screens you want to change the player's button text on. Copying and pasting the triggers saves a lot of time. AFTER you publish the project there is one more thing you need to do to ensure that the course opens in HTML5. Open the published course folder. Right click "imsmanifest.xml" and "Open with" Notepad or a similar program. Do not use Word. Find href="index_lms.html" and change it to href="index_lms_html5.html" Save the change. (File > Save) Javascript for changing the Previous button's label: di_y=document.getElementsByClassName("label prev"); // Find the elements for(var i = 0; i < di_y.length; i++){ di_y[i].innerText="INSERT HERE"; // Change the content} Javascript for changing the Next button's label: di_x=document.getElementsByClassName("label next"); // Find the elements for(var i = 0; i < di_x.length; i++){ di_x[i].innerText="INSERT HERE"; // Change the content} Javascript for changing the Submit button's label: di_z=document.getElementsByClassName("label submit"); // Find the elements for(var i = 0; i < di_z.length; i++){ di_z[i].innerText="INSERT HERE"; // Change the content} I've attached an image of what the Javascript looks like for a screen where the Next and Back button labels have been changed to "SIG" and "ANT" respectively.

Building Multiple Language Versions in One Course?

57 Replies

AshleyT-Pollard
Staff
9 years ago
Hi Lee,

I haven't seen anything similar to that with Storyline or Studio using those type of translation capabilities, so I'll be curious what the community is able to share here.
JamesWhite-ddfa
Community Member
8 years ago
There are many translation tools that can be used in the industry to handle the translation of Articulate Storyline content. In our experience, the challenges are not as much in the translation as in building the final product in all the required languages. Please read https://globalvis.com/2016/01/7-common-mistakes-in-elearning-translation-localization/ for more info about the 7 common mistakes and challenges faced when translating/localizing eLearning content by non-experienced teams.
JeffreyRiley
Community Member
8 years ago
Does anyone else think there should be an easier way to have multiple languages in one course? Unfortunately, the LMS my client uses has to have both languages in one course to track it as one course. This is my first shot at two languages but it is not working. I am trying to get the Result slides to report to a common slide for tracking but that is not working either. At this time, there is an error with SL3 results slides. If you move the slide, the variables disappear.

I will try some of these solutions but this needs a better solution given more and more companies need at least two languages for their courses. A search of the Articulate data shows how many companies need this. I do appreciate this community and the great ideas difficult or not!
- WendyFarmer
  Super Hero
  8 years ago
  Hi Jeffrey
  
  I agree. I have just had to combine 4 languages for 4 modules (so far) for a client. It has taken hours to work out the logic, do the variables and triggers and test to make sure every possible combination works.
  
  Attached is the first sample I built for the client to test in their LMS. It was a simplified version that contained only 5 questions per language and no retry or review button on the result slide and used the built in player navigation. The result slide only reported in English. It uses a variable called UserScore to tabulate the results which are sent to LMS in a JS trigger on the result slide. The User Score was multiplied by 2 to get the correct result. The player side menu has been left for testing only to show how the slides are progressing depending on the language selected...I ended up removing the player tabs altogether as only one language can be chosen.
  
  Fast forward a couple of weeks:
  
  The updated version now uses custom Submit/Next buttons for Review, and a Result slide with 8 layers (2 per language for success and failure), the Results, User Score and Passing Score is translated into each language when the result slide displays. There are 11 triggers on each quiz slide and 14 on the first quiz slide.
  
  All in all the amount of regression testing has taken the most time. Each time I added a trigger I would test the whole module to make sure it was returning expected behaviour.
  
  Anyway, hope this simple attached version helps you
  
  Multiple_Quiz__1_Results_Slide-SL360-WF-Calc_Results_image.story473 KB
LloydHill-50d38
Community Member
8 years ago
Its an old thread, but here is how we do it for multi language simulations. One course & all language text external to course. https://blendedminds.com.au/storyline-translation-plugin/
- HillaryRobin916
  Community Member
  6 years ago
  I tried to contact this company but get an error. Do you know if they are still in business? I am interested in the plugin
LeslieMcKerchie
Staff
8 years ago
Hey Beth,

Looks like Tom shared the details here :)
MaryOSullivan-b
Community Member
7 years ago
I have a follow up question here, assuming that you can translate all these different languages, will the error or notification language be translated too? Notifications like "You must attempt the quiz in order to continue." If not, how would I do that?
- MaryOSullivan-b
  Community Member
  7 years ago
  Found it! Never Mind
AlyssaGomez
Staff
7 years ago
Happy you found what you're looking for, Mary! For anyone else who runs across this thread, you can translate player text labels and pop-ups by following this tutorial.
MarkGajda
Community Member
6 years ago
Couldn't there be an option to build in multi-langue closed captioning at least? Video players such as Youtube and Wistia have this feature but it continues to be a hurdle for LMS.
KatieRiggio
Staff
6 years ago
Hi there, Hillary!

I'll defer to the community to weigh in with their thoughts, but here is more insight from Tom on his approach:

I built a demo at a conference once where I created a default shape that had states for each language. I added triggers to the shape to change state based on the language variable.

Then whenever I wanted to add something to the slide, I duplicated the shape. This copied the triggers. Then I added my content.

I could export the word doc and then add my localized content where needed. And everything was a lot easier. I didn't have to build a bunch of versions. I just had to add my translation to the pre-established states.

It doesn't work for all possible use cases, but is viable with some forethought.

http://artco-temp.s3.amazonaws.com/tom/localize_idea.mp4

Let me know if that helps.

Additionally, feel free to use the Contact Me button on Lloyd's profile page to reference the plugin!
JamesBonney-6ec
Community Member
5 years ago
Hi,

Is there a way to change the langauge of the resume pop up? I need to create a course in Arabic and English, in one course...is this possible?

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Building Multiple Language Versions in One Course?

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