New Integration Lets Contribute Users Publish Directly to Blackboard Platform

WASHINGTON, Oct. 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Blackboard Inc. (Nasdaq: BBBB) announced today that the Blackboard Content System(TM) is fully integrated with the Macromedia Contribute 3 content development tool, which allows users to easily create, edit and publish high-quality content for the Web. The Blackboard Content System is a key product in the Blackboard Academic Suite(TM), a comprehensive family of integrated applications for teaching, learning, community-building and knowledge-sharing.

Macromedia and Blackboard partnered to develop a WebDAV implementation in Contribute 3 that enables instructors to use Contribute 3 to publish Web content from an instructor's desktop directly to the Blackboard Content System. Simplified connections between Macromedia Contribute 3 and the Blackboard Content System provide users with better productivity and increased content-sharing capability.

To allow users to familiarize themselves with the new Web publishing capabilities the companies have partnered to provide a copy of Contribute 3 to every Blackboard Content System and Blackboard Learning System(TM) enterprise level client.

"The integration of Macromedia Contribute 3 with the Blackboard Content System is an important step toward enriching the variety of Web content available to users of e-Learning solutions," said Michael Chasen, CEO of Blackboard. "The combined power of these two products gives Blackboard clients the ability to develop, publish and promote a deeper range of sophisticated content on the Blackboard platform."

"The Blackboard Content System has proven itself to be a highly effective and efficient content management platform that satisfies a wide variety of e- learning needs in higher education," said Penny Wilson, senior vice president of industry solutions, Macromedia. "We are confident that Blackboard users will want to take advantage of the increased Web publishing power provided by the integration of Contribute 3 with the Blackboard platform."

The Blackboard Learning System and the Blackboard Content System, along with the Blackboard Community System(TM), are the three leading e-Learning software solutions contained in the Blackboard Academic Suite, a comprehensive online learning platform that supports multiple approaches to teaching, learning, research and collaboration.

About Blackboard Inc.

Blackboard is a leading provider of enterprise software and services to the education industry. The Company's product line consists of five software applications bundled in two suites, the Blackboard Academic Suite(TM) and the Blackboard Commerce Suite(TM). Blackboard's clients include colleges, universities, 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 and staff in North America, Europe and Asia.

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 most recent 10-Q filed with the SEC. In addition, the forward-looking statements included in this press release represent the Company's views as of October 21, 2004. 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 October 21, 2004.

SOURCE Blackboard Inc.

CONTACT:
Investors
Michael J. Stanton
of Blackboard Inc.
+1-202-463-4860, ext. 2305
Stanton@blackboard.com
or
Media
Darren Spinck
of DBC Public Relations Experts
+1-866-774-4720
Darren@dbcpr.com
for Blackboard Inc.
Web site: http://www.blackboard.com /
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