What is Voice XML and why should I learn about it?

“Voice XML is a w3c endorsed markup language that allows developers to write advanced telephony applications with simplicity undreamed of until recent years”.* It is almost like writing an average HTML web page.

“As VXML is a tag-based markup language, its structure is very similar to HTML in many ways, but instead of being a primarily visual medium, Voice XML is an auditory medium that allows the end user to navigate through his 'telephony page' by using voice commands, rather than by clicking a button on a web page.”*

Why should you learn about it? Because in the future you can have people access your e-learning or e-training while they perform other activities. Imagine someone driving to work while listening to training they will need later that day and being able to navigate around the training as if they were in front of a web page but through the using voice commands.

So the reason why you should learn about Voice XML is the flexibility it might add to your offerings. No its not an answer to all our e-learning problems, its just another tool a your disposal, one that has a lot of promise.

Voice XML Tutorial

* Quotes from Voxeo.