LAS VEGAS, July 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Blackboard Inc.
(Nasdaq: BBBB) announced today the launch of Blackboard
Collaborate™, the only education-focused platform for real-time
collaboration that helps institutions shift more learning,
networking, and communication online to improve education quality
while reducing the cost of academic operations. Combining the
strengths of the Elluminate and Wimba products, the innovative,
easy-to-use platform goes beyond Web conferencing to deliver
robust Web, video and voice conferencing as well as presence,
instant messaging and voice authoring.
The platform integrates seamlessly with an institution's
learning management system and can also be used independently to
enable a wide range of informal interactions across the institution
including office hours, school services, student-to-student
interaction, and more. The enhanced platform can also support
administrative interactions, staff meetings and professional
development sessions as well as larger events. The platform's
versatility allows for engagement across the academic community and
drives outcomes by promoting a deeper level of interaction.
"To reach my students, I need to capture their attention in new
and different ways while simultaneously delivering valuable
content," said Debbie Faires,
Assistant Director for Distance Learning, School of Library and
Information Science at San Jose State
University. "Blackboard Collaborate delivers on my
requirements; I can present a lecture, engage in a discussion,
leave multilevel messages and connect with my staff – all in the
same environment – to personalize the learning experience and
promote richer interaction."
While the new release includes many features that will be
familiar to current Elluminate and Wimba customers, improvements
include a simpler user interface, enhanced video conferencing
capabilities, and support for learning that evolves from ad-hoc to
formal to on-demand. The entire platform was designed with input
from professional educators and students who participated in a
Product Advisory Council to help guide its development.
"There are lots of Web conferencing solutions, but this is the
only education-specific collaboration platform built from the
ground up in partnership with teachers and learners to help ensure
it meets their needs," said Maurice
Heiblum, President of Blackboard Collaborate. "We've joined
the strengths of two systems that were already widely appreciated
by educators in a refined platform with added capabilities that
underscores our open approach to learning."
The new platform continues Blackboard's commitment to openness
and interoperability, and can be integrated with learning
management systems including Blackboard Learn™, WebCT, and
ANGEL® as well as Desire2Learn™, Plateau, Pearson LearningStudio,
Sakai® and Moodle™. The platform also includes an open Application
Programming Interface (API) to support custom integrations and
enhancements.
A cornerstone of the Blackboard Collaborate platform is its
focus on accessibility – Blackboard's Accessibility Task Force
includes a cross-functional team that has partnered with leading
accessibility consultant SSB BART Group to ensure that the solution
meets a wide range of client needs with applications usable by
everyone.
Blackboard Collaborate clients also have access to professional
services offerings and a group of support specialists who have
helped successfully deploy collaborative solutions at a wide range
of other organizations. These advisors can provide targeted
consultation and training to ensure successful adoption and use and
alignment with strategic educational goals.
"I've had the privilege of working closely with the product
management team and am confident that Blackboard Collaborate is the
solution I need to support and advance our institutional goals,"
said Lee McMinn, Instructional
Development Coordinator at Greenville
Technical College. "It's essential to involve educators in
the development process, and Blackboard hit the nail on the head,
not just by including us and getting our ideas, but actually
incorporating our feedback into the finished product."
Blackboard Collaborate is available today to all institutions.
Current Elluminate and Wimba clients can upgrade to the new
platform at no extra cost. To learn more about Blackboard
Collaborate, please visit
www.blackboard.com/collaborate.
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 July 11, 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
July 11, 2011.
SOURCE Blackboard Inc.