There are a lot of misconceptions about the Microsoft Learning Courseware Library and the Contributor Community (just “the Community” from now on). Today I will address three of them.
 
1.      I have to be a Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT) in order to join the Community.
 
Nope. While a large percentage of our Community members are MCTs, this is not a prerequisite. The number of MCTs in the Community is a testimony to their expertise both as subject matter experts and as professional educators. However, there are even more subject matter experts on Microsoft technologies and individuals with educational know-how around the world.
 
2.      I would have to sign a contract to work for Microsoft Learning.
 
While there is a one-time Author Process that involves becoming an approved Microsoft vendor and signing an Author Agreement, this is not a contract to work for Microsoft Learning. The vendor number is the conduit through which the proceeds from your course sales come to you and the Author Agreement spells out how your course is distributed on the Microsoft Learning Courseware Library platform and clarifies your Intellectual Property (IP) rights, since your course belongs to you, regardless of where it sits (on the Courseware Library or on your hard drive, it belongs to you).
 
3.      The only courses Microsoft Learning will allow on the Courseware Library are in English.
 
While there are not many non-English courses published by the Community so far, we do have several in Japanese and French. We are extremely interested in Microsoft technology courses in other languages.
 
I hope this busts a few myths about the Community. New information about the Community and becoming a member can be found on the newly redesigned site at http://cwlibrary.mslearn.net/page/authoring%20resources.aspx.