E-learning isn't just for early adopters anymore. Several major companies last week unveiled plans for major deployments of E-learning systems. They're among the growing number of businesses that are adopting E-learning technologies to improve employee training while keeping costs down. Research firm Meta Group last week predicted that 60% of companies will use E-learning systems within two years.

Companies are deploying learning-management systems--Web-based platforms that track and manage employee training and career development. One example: GlaxoSmithKline Inc. will centralize its training on Docent Enterprise, a learning-management system from Docent Inc. The shift is expected to reduce training costs across all business units of the $30 billion Pittsburgh pharmaceutical company.

"In tough economic times, you have to demonstrate the ROI [of an E-learning project] back to the business sponsors," Meta Group senior VP Mike Gotta says. A deployment must be critical to a new or existing strategic initiative, he says. "Perhaps job responsibilities are changing, or a rollout of new CRM or ERP system demands new training."

Nike Corp. is going further. The $9.5 billion sporting goods and apparel company will shift more than 50 courses to a Web-based format with help from GeoLearning Inc. The E-learning vendor will host and develop online courses on subjects ranging from computer skills to sales skills for Nike's Americas division in Beaverton, Ore.

Shifting employee training to an E-learning system can cut costs by eliminating travel and instructor fees. E-learning also lets employees better manage their own training needs, a factor important to Honeywell Federal Manufacturing & Technologies in Kansas City, Mo.

The Honeywell Inc. subsidiary selected Plateau Systems Ltd.'s learning-management system to track training for more than 3,000 employees and contractors who manage and operate the plant for the National Nuclear Security Administration. The contractor will shift training from legacy systems to Plateau, says workforce learning and development manager Lynn Allen, so "people can discover and learn on their own. Web-based training enables that."