Recent survey result conducted by National Institute of Multimedia Education (NIME) shows that the number of undergraduate faculties and graduate schools in Japan implementing distance learning through the Internet are increasing, and in this presentation, recent status of e-Learning at higher education institutions in Japan will be shared.

Under the background, the Gateway to Learning for Ability Development (NIME-glad) is introduced for providing and sharing reusable learning objects, where. NIME has tagged large amounts of educational information that is accessible over the Internet with learning object metadata (LOM), and provides this comprehensive, cross-website retrievable information by means of that gateway.

The Federated Search System is also explained to make it possible to search by keyword reciprocally between the Japanese learning gateway (NIME-glad) and gateway MERLOT in the USA, LORNET in Canada, EdNA Online in Australia ARANNE in EU. As a result of developing this Federated Search System, it has become possible to search not only overseas Learning Objects by keyword, but at the same time, Japanese Learning Objects also, using the overseas gateways.

In order to improve the quality of e-Learning, an attempt has been made to classify the approaches to e-Learning quality enhancement at the development stage, for support during actual operation, with respect to organizational structure and by means of evaluation. This does not mean, however, that all of these approaches have to be pursued, but rather, numerous approaches have been brought together on the understanding that universities or other institutions can select and try whatever approaches it needs to adopt.