BBBB Blackboard (MM)

Focus on Next Generation Learning Technology; Wozniak, Shalala Will Keynote WASHINGTON, April 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Blackboard Inc. (NASDAQ:BBBB), a leading provider of educational enterprise technology, today announced details for BbWorld(R) '08, which will focus on best practices and innovative breakthroughs in education technology and will take place July 15-17 in Las Vegas, Nevada. More than 2,000 members of the global e-learning community are expected to attend BbWorld, including representatives from colleges and universities, K-12 schools and districts, and government, corporate, and nonprofit organizations from across the United States and around the world. Together, they will share ideas on cutting-edge technologies and initiatives that are being used to promote student engagement and achievement and to address a wide range of academic and institutional priorities. Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple Computer, and Donna E. Shalala, president of the University of Miami and former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, will deliver keynote addresses. Wozniak, inventor of the first personal computer, will discuss his passion for innovation and his personal commitment to improving education. Shalala will share her insights and experiences from a career of service as one of the nation's leading public officials, administrators, and educators. "Educators are rapidly and profoundly changing their communities through the adoption of new and evolving technology," said Michael L. Chasen, president and CEO of Blackboard, who will also deliver a keynote at BbWorld. "We look forward to sharing our vision for the future at BbWorld, including Project NG, Blackboard's multi-year, multi-release project to deliver a next generation teaching and learning solution that introduces new capabilities to engage students, leverages the power of social learning communities, and drives success in institutional assessment." At BbWorld, participants will take part in more than 140 sessions highlighting innovative and entrepreneurial approaches to address some of the most important challenges in education, including: -- Measuring student learning and learning outcomes -- Engaging students with Web 2.0 technologies (blogs, wikis, podcasts, gaming & simulations) -- Improving engagement and retention for at-risk students -- Assessing the effect of academic programs and initiatives -- Improving faculty training and professional development -- Meeting rising student expectations in the classroom and on campus -- Using mass notification to improve communications and aid preparedness -- Using data to address accreditation and other institutional advancement agendas BbWorld '08 will be immediately preceded by two meetings of the Blackboard user community that will focus on open source technologies and independent enhancements to Blackboard solutions that address a wide variety of educational opportunities and challenges: -- The Blackboard Developers Conference, where several hundred software and technology professionals will share ideas for independent, third- party applications that build on and extend Blackboard solutions to address specific academic and institutional needs. -- Open Source Day, a meeting of the Open Source Community for Educational Learning Objects and Tools (OSCELOT), an independent volunteer community working to explore, develop and share open source solutions and tools for the educational community. For more information on BbWorld, including registration and the event's program guide, please visit http://www.bbworld08.com/ . Blackboard Inc. (NASDAQ:BBBB) is a leading provider of enterprise software applications and related services to the education industry. Founded in 1997, Blackboard enables educational innovations everywhere by connecting people and technology. Millions of people use Blackboard everyday at academic institutions around the globe, including colleges, universities, K-12 schools and other education providers, as well as textbook publishers and student- focused merchants that serve education providers and their students. Blackboard is headquartered in Washington, D.C., with offices in North America, Europe, Australia and Asia. Blackboard Educate. Innovate. Everywhere.(TM) Any statements in this press release about future expectations, plans and prospects for Blackboard and other statements containing the words "believes," "anticipates," "plans," "expects," "will," and similar expressions, constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including the factors discussed in the "Risk Factors" section of our Form 10-K filed on February 20, 2008 with the SEC. In addition, the forward- looking statements included in this press release represent the Company's views as of April 30, 2008. The Company anticipates that subsequent events and developments will cause the Company's views to change. However, while the Company may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the Company's views as of any date subsequent to April 30, 2008. DATASOURCE: Blackboard Inc. CONTACT: Matthew Maurer of Blackboard Inc., +1-202-463-4860 ext. 2637, ; Amy Storey of Fleishman-Hillard Inc., +1-202-828-8819, Web site: http://www.bbworld08.com/

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