These act as channels between content creators and end users. Typically, portals have no content of their own. They offer the software that allows clients to order courses and learning resources on-line from specialist content providers and to manage the learning process by tracking use of the courses purchased. Some portals also have systems that allow users to assess learning needs and competency gaps, and evaluation systems that assess progress toward learning goals. Typical examples of companies in this sector include Saba. Docent, Click to Learn, Knowledge Planet, and Headlight.com.

Typically these fall into two categories:

"High-priced" course providers who bring top quality management courses on-line for relatively high prices - usually set on a per user basis and equivalent to attendance at a top management program. Prominent suppliers here include companies such as UNext and Ninth House who have struck strategic alliances with leading universities such as Harvard, Columbia and Stanford. They offer on-line executive development programs, backed in some instances with live links or chat lines with course instructors and professors. These programs usually are presented as complete courses, equivalent to a semester of college for each one. They do not lend themselves to customization, except perhaps to incorporate examples derived from your company or industry. They are hard to fit into a just-in-time learning environment, but they are a good fit for someone desiring to earn a degree, such as an MBA, or to fill a gap in a previous degree program.

"Lower-priced" course providers that typically offer a much larger range of courses aimed at employees engaged in different functional roles. The aim is to replace traditional training seminars with on-line instruction on specific topics. Prominent companies in this category include SkillSoft and SmartForce. Most companies in this e-Learning space today offer only, or predominantly, technical skills training courses or packages, such as "How-to" courses on software usage. Some of these companies advertise executive education, but have extremely limited offerings.

These offer to put company specific training and education on line for a custom price. Customers typically provide the content, or the customization company purchases third party content to meet the customer's learning specific learning needs. For a fairly high price tag, companies can use these services to commission their own learning applications for use on corporate intranets. For extra fees, they can keep the courses up to date. Digital Think, Quisic and GP are examples of prominent companies operating in this sector.

In the e-Learning marketplace there are dozens of companies offering special services such as on-line interaction, chat rooms, computer simulations, and electronic competency assessment and training evaluation tools. These are usually freestanding products and services that can be plugged into the "front," "middle" or "back" ends of corporate on-line training programs. For example, competency assessment and evaluation services can be purchased to assess and measure learning needs at the "front end" and the success of training outcomes at the "back end". On- line chat room facilities can be used to create virtual classrooms that deliver a training program worldwide by allowing participants in remote settings to interact. Usually, the customer using these services brings their own training content and instruction. The specialist services are there to refine and improve delivery. Companies desiring to create corporate universities, or to become learning companies, often engage these services to provide a tracking system for employee development.