The e-Learning environment provides the institutional background of the web-based education, functioning as a "virtual school environment", serving as a tool to create learning independent from time and space.

As a result of the continuous development if IT systems, several solutions have been born, from the simple pages that serve advertising purposes to the complex knowledge management systems. The latter actually integrate the displaying of learning materials, the registration of students and keeping a record of their academic progress, the communication between students and tutors and other forms of support.

The e-Learning systems used and acknowledged nowadays can be divided into two main groups. (The borderline between the two groups is largely theoretical despite the obvious differences, as the majority of the systems that can be found on the e-Learning market contain a mix of the functions of the two groups.)

LCMS – (Learning Content Management System)

Its main task is the production and management of electronic contents.

LMS – (Learning Management System)

Its main task is the automation of the training processes, the organization and management of complex training programs.

Functions and services:

• Representation of the organization
• Handling of users and user roles (registration, applications, administration)
• Handling and serving of e-Learning materials
• Web-based interface, tailorable to individual needs
• Possibility of mentoring and tutoring
• Communication possibilities

The expression "framesystem" is normally used in the technological terminology to refer to LMSs.

The use of learning environment is usually simple, all a user needs is a regular web-browser and some basic computer/Internet literacy.