Blackboard Learn Named Best Corporate Learning Solution in CODiE Awards

WASHINGTON, May 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Blackboard Inc. (Nasdaq: BBBB) took home some of the software industry's most prestigious honors when Blackboard Learn™ was named the Best Corporate Learning Solution at the Software & Information Industry Association's (SIIA) 2011 CODiE™ Awards. Blackboard Learn was also named the Best Professional Education Solution, having been selected from a range of nominees in several different CODiE categories to take the top honor for corporate learning, professional development, and workforce training.

The awards were announced at SIIA's eighth annual Ed Tech Industry Summit this week. A growing number of corporations, small and medium-sized businesses, associations, and government agencies rely on the Blackboard Learn platform to deliver real impact through sales training, onboarding, customer service, leadership development and customer and partner training.

Blackboard Learn, the leading online teaching and learning platform, improves social and informal learning opportunities by increasing collaboration through wikis, discussion boards and blogs that are integrated directly into courses. The platform drives learner engagement and the ability to capture and assess informal learning in a centralized and secure environment. It improves employee learning and training opportunities through enhanced course delivery, community engagement, content management and assessment.

"We're honored to receive two CODiE Awards, which affirm the commitment we've made to transforming traditional corporate training courses into strategic engagements through learning communities built around ongoing, peer-to-peer interaction," said Tim Hill, President of Blackboard Professional Education (ProEd). "By embedding the concepts of informal learning right into the platform, Blackboard Learn helps increase knowledge retention and there is an immediate, positive impact on business. We are excited to continue the positive momentum we've generated in support of our clients." 

The CODiE Awards have honored the software and information industry's finest products and services since 1986. Nominated products underwent intensive review by subject matter experts with deep expertise in education technology. SIIA, the principal trade association for the software and digital content industries, selected 30 winners from 113 CODiE Award finalists. Finalists were drawn from over 425 nominations.

"Now in its 26th year, the CODiE Awards continue to recognize those companies providing the best new technology products and services across a broad array of industries," noted SIIA President Ken Wasch. "In addition, its winners are a prolific testament to the power of technology to deliver innovative solutions to businesses and consumers. SIIA warmly congratulates all of the winners and nominees of the CODiE Awards, whose innovation is essential for continuing America's leadership in the global knowledge economy."

Recently, Blackboard also won the Excellence in Customer Partnering Award from the Institute for Excellence in Sales & Business Development (IES&BD), where the company was recognized for creating a unique and powerful solution with corporate customers through enhanced collaboration. Blackboard Learn, Release 9.1 was also selected as a 2010 Brandon Hall Excellence in Learning Technology bronze winner in three categories: "Best Advance in Social Learning Technology," "Best Advance in Learning Management Technology for Small-and Medium-Sized Businesses," and "Best Advance in Learning Management Technology for Blended or Information Learning."

For more information about Blackboard Learn, please visit http://www.blackboard.com/Platforms/Learn/Overview.aspx. For more information about Blackboard's ProEd solutions, please visit http://www.blackboard.com/Markets/Corporate.aspx.

About Blackboard Inc.

Blackboard Inc. (Nasdaq: BBBB) is a global leader in enterprise technology and innovative solutions that improve the experience of millions of students and learners around the world every day. Blackboard's solutions allow thousands of higher education, K-12, professional, corporate, and government organizations to extend teaching and learning online, facilitate campus commerce and security, and communicate more effectively with their communities. Founded in 1997, Blackboard is headquartered in Washington, D.C., with offices in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia.

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 18, 2011 and Form 10-Q filed on May 9, 2011 with the SEC. In addition, the forward-looking statements included in this press release represent the Company's views as of May 26, 2011. 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 May 26, 2011.

SOURCE Blackboard Inc.