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To create an e-learning website, choose a learning platform, check that it supports your course content and integrations, set it up for your learners, and test both the learning experience and accessibility before launch. Two practical starting points are Moodle, a dedicated learning management system (LMS), and WordPress with the LearnDash LMS plugin. The right choice depends on who will manage the site, how much customization you need, and what your existing courses require.

Choose the platform that fits your courses and team

Start with the work your site must do, not with a feature list. Moodle and WordPress with LearnDash are different routes to a course website; neither is a universal best choice. Consider who will handle hosting, software updates, and learner accounts, as well as the formats and integrations your courses need.

Approach What the documentation describes What to verify before choosing
Moodle Moodle documents SCORM package delivery, LTI integrations, and multiple content import and export approaches. Its standards page also discusses AICC and other formats. Moodle standards documentation Check the documentation for your deployed Moodle version, the specific formats and integrations you need, and which modules must be enabled.
WordPress with LearnDash LearnDash describes a WordPress course builder with drag-and-drop course creation, integrations, and support for different media. Its product page says SCORM and xAPI require a paid third-party add-on. LearnDash product information Confirm the add-on’s current compatibility and whether it supports your course package, reporting, and integration requirements.

The available documentation does not establish a current, like-for-like comparison of platform prices or hosting costs. Build those into your own evaluation rather than assuming one approach will cost less.

Check your course content and integrations before migrating

Make an inventory of the course materials you already have and the connections the site must support. A standard name alone is not enough: identify the exact version, package behavior, and reporting needs, then confirm that the platform and any required add-on cover them.

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  • List the formats of existing course packages and media.
  • Record required integrations, including whether you need LTI or a specific SCORM version.
  • Identify assessment and reporting behaviors that learners or administrators rely on.
  • Test a representative course package in the proposed configuration before moving substantial course content.

Moodle’s documentation describes SCORM 1.2 and LTI capabilities. LearnDash’s product page says SCORM and xAPI depend on a paid third-party add-on. Check current documentation for the exact version and setup you intend to deploy: Moodle standards and LearnDash feature information.

Set up the site and prepare it for learners

If you choose WordPress with LearnDash

LearnDash’s installation guide says to meet its minimum server requirements before installation. It describes uploading and activating the plugin through the WordPress dashboard. Hosting requirements can change, so review the live guide before selecting a host or installing the plugin: LearnDash installation documentation.

  1. Review the current LearnDash server requirements and confirm that your hosting environment meets them.
  2. Install and activate the plugin using the WordPress dashboard process in the LearnDash guide.
  3. Build a representative course and check its content, assessments, integrations, and learner-facing behavior.

If you choose Moodle

Use the documentation for the Moodle version you plan to deploy to configure the course formats and integrations your inventory requires. Moodle’s standards page describes capabilities, but the enabled modules and configuration of a particular site determine what learners can actually use: Moodle standards documentation.

For either approach

Before opening enrollment, walk through the site as a learner: find a course, open its materials, complete an assessment, and confirm that expected course behavior works. Also test the administrative tasks your team will need to perform, such as maintaining content and managing learner access. These checks help catch configuration or package issues before they affect a full course catalog.

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Review accessibility in the configured site and course materials

Accessibility is not established by choosing a platform alone. Moodle says it follows WCAG guidance and documents accessibility practices, but its own materials note that the LMS is complex and configurable and includes user-generated content. A platform statement therefore cannot prove that every customized site or course is accessible. Moodle puts the work plainly: “Accessibility is not a state; it is a process of continuous improvement in response to our users and the wider technical environment.” Moodle accessibility documentation and its LMS VPAT describe the platform-level context.

Review the real learner experience in your chosen configuration, including themes, enabled modules, assessments, and authored course materials. Check key journeys with accessibility needs in mind and revisit them as the site and content change.

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Plan for ongoing administration and support

An e-learning site needs ongoing ownership: hosting and updates must be managed, learner accounts administered, course packages checked, and accessibility reviewed as content evolves. Moodle identifies Certified Partners and Service Providers as an option for tailoring or extending Moodle. If you use one, verify the provider’s status and the terms of any commercial relationship directly: Moodle accessibility and service-provider information.

Choose the platform only after you know who will perform that work and what support they can provide. A platform that suits the course requirements but exceeds your team’s capacity may be a poor operational fit.

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