这个服务是由麻省理工学院开放式课程提供，由犹他州立大学教育科技系的“开放持续学习机会研究群”所管理。世界各地的独立学员可以互相连系、协同合作、组织学习小组，及就利用麻省理工“开放式课程网页”教材资源于他们正规或非正规教育学习时得到支援。

OLS is a research project that is focused on building "social software" that enables informal learning communities to form around existing open educational content. The fundamental premise of OLS is that full educational opportunity requires a user to have the social access to other people who can answer questions and provide support. Since the sponsors of free and open Web-based materials cannot typically provide this access, the social support must come from other users.
Therefore, OLS:

• Operates independently of MIT OCW
• Requires users to register and login to participate
• Is not a degree-granting or certificate-granting program
• Does not provide formal access to MIT or Utah State University faculty

Open Learning Support is funded by a grant from The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.