In assessing SCORM 2004 for its affordances facilitating the implementation of specific requirements representing a simulation-based model optimized for interoperability and reusability several implications have come to light ranging from gaps in the technical architecture to standard implementation practice to instructional designers and programmers perspectives and understanding. They were identified technically within the RTE and Sequencing as well as in the common implementation practice of designing SCOs purely for content presentation. Findings also point to the need for persistent arbitrary SCO to SCO communication and the ability to conceptualize, design, and implement reusable functional SCOs to fully implement a simulation as an interoperable model within a SCORM environment. Also implied, are gaps in instructional design practice for SCORM-based solutions as well as gaps in the understanding of IT engineers and practitioners in relation to learning theories and practices. In respect to SCORM 2004 and simulations in general as a valuable reusable pedagogical model, the underlying behaviorist pedagogy inherent in SCORM's design needs to be revisited and in so doing the academic community needs to become more involved in its evolution.

These findings were derived from a gap analysis using a specific set of requirements derived from an existing online simulation learning environment as the criterion and the Run-time Environment (RTE) and Sequencing of the SCORM 2004 technical architecture as the condition. Results were based on an analysis of quantitative and qualitative data collected from 26 members of the SCORM community employed in industry, government, standards/specifications entities, and academia.

Participants were asked to provide levels of agreement to indicator statements of the relevance of the SCORM 2004 targets to the SIMREF at both the individual and set levels. They were also asked to describe alternate standards, specifications, technologies, and capabilities necessary to fulfill the requirements.