Blackboard Introduces User Purchase Option for Mobile Learning App

NEW ORLEANS, July 11, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Blackboard Inc. today announced an option to let students and faculty directly purchase its mobile learning application, adding a new way for users to get access to the apps without requiring an investment by their institution.

Beginning in September, users worldwide will be able to download Blackboard Mobile™ Learn from the App Store and on Google Play, search for their school, and get access to their courses and organizations for an introductory price of $1.99 per year or a one-time fee of $5.99*. The apps, built natively for each platform, will be available on all iOS® and Android® devices, on all mobile carriers.   

Blackboard will also continue to offer an institutional license for Blackboard Mobile Learn that lets institutions subsidize access for all students and faculty on all of their devices, and to extend access to BlackBerry® and webOS® devices for which in-app purchases are not currently common. The institutional license version also enables institutions to integrate Blackboard Mobile Learn with Blackboard Mobile™ Central, the company's popular campus life and services application.

"We've seen a tremendous take-up of Blackboard Mobile Learn," said Kayvon Beykpour, General Manager of Blackboard Mobile. "But we wanted to implement a model that gave users the choice to use the application even if their school hasn't subsidized it. We hope that providing users this new option will help more students and institutions expand access to mobile learning."

The announcement was made at BbWorld®, an annual event hosted by Blackboard being held this week in New Orleans.

Blackboard's mobile learning apps have been downloaded on over 3 million devices and accessed more than 60 million times. Nearly 1,300 institutions worldwide have enabled the apps since Blackboard first introduced them in 2010.

In May, Blackboard added new features including mobile tests and push notifications, continuing the company's focus on elegant, intuitive design leveraging the unique features of different mobile devices to provide the best user experience. In addition to the new features, the apps allow students to create, upload and access documents and multimedia; submit assignments; read and comment on blogs and journals; create discussion posts; view grades, read announcements, and more.

To support the new user purchase option, institutions can download a free Blackboard Building Block. Higher education institutions in North America currently leveraging the no cost option will be transitioned to the subscription option when it becomes available in September with no action required.

For more information about Blackboard Mobile Learn, please visit http://www.blackboard.com/mobilelearn.   

About Blackboard Inc.
Blackboard Inc. 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 represent the Company's views as of the date of this press release. Actual results may differ materially as a result of various important factors. 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 statements at some point in the future, the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to do so.

*Plus any applicable taxes.

iOS is a registered trademark of Apple Inc.

Android is a registered trademark of Google Inc.

Blackberry is a registered trademark of Research in Motion Limited.

webOS is a registered trademark of Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.

SOURCE Blackboard Inc.