Blackboard Honored as a Finalist in Ten CODiE Education Award Categories

WASHINGTON, March 22, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Blackboard Inc. was honored as a finalist in ten different categories in the 2013 SIIA CODiE Awards, the company announced today. The CODiEs are the premier award for the software and information industries, and have been recognizing product excellence for 27 years.

Blackboard has previously won a number of CODiE awards, including Best Postsecondary Course or Learning Management Solution, Best K-12 Course or Learning Management Solution and Best Corporate Learning Solution. This year Blackboard earned finalist recognition for a number of different teaching and learning products as well as administrative platforms including Blackboard Analytics^™ and Blackboard Transact ^™. In all, Blackboard was named a finalist in the following categories:

• Best Postsecondary Learning Solution: Blackboard Learn^™
• Best Postsecondary Course or Learning Management Solution: Blackboard Learn^™
• Best Postsecondary Personalized Learning Solution: Blackboard Learn^™
• Best Cross-Curricular Solution:CourseSites by Blackboard™
• Best Education Community Solution: CourseSites by Blackboard^™
• Best Educational Use of a Mobile Device: Blackboard Mobile^™ Learn
• Best Postsecondary Enterprise Solution: Blackboard Analytics^™
• Best Postsecondary Enterprise Solution: Blackboard Transact ^™
• Best K-12 Course or Learning Management Solution: Blackboard Engage^™
• Best Corporate Learning/Workforce Development Solution: Blackboard Learn^™ for Salesforce

"It's a real honor to be recognized as finalists across so many categories," said Ray Henderson, Chief Technology Officer and President of Academic Platforms for Blackboard. "This is our best showing ever in the CODiE finals and we are grateful that our diligence in refining user experience is getting consistent approval from clients and industry observers."

The awards have over 75 categories and are organized by industry focus of Content, Education and Software. This year's program features 23 Education categories, several of which are new or updated to reflect the latest industry trends and business models. Winners will be announced during a special awards dinner at the nation's leading education technology conference, the Ed Tech Industry Summit, in San Francisco on May 6.

"We're pleased with the innovative educational technology products that made it to this stage. All of this year's finalists show great promise, and they should be proud of their finalist status," said Karen Billings, vice president of the SIIA Education Division.

Details about each finalist are listed at http://siia.net/codies/2013/finalists.asp.

For more information about Blackboard's products and services, please visit http://www.blackboard.com.

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.

About SIIA

SIIA is the leading association representing the software and digital content industries. SIIA represents approximately 700 member companies worldwide that develop software and digital information content.  Information technology (IT) and software security are critical issues to SIIA's members, many of whom strive to develop safe, secure and state-of the-art products that effectively serve their commercial and government customers alike, while protecting their intellectual property.  The SIIA Education Division serves and represents more than 200 member companies that provide software, digital content and other technologies that address educational needs. The Division shapes and supports the industry by providing leadership, advocacy, business development opportunities and critical market information. For more information, visit www.siia.net/education.

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.

CONTACT
Matthew Maurer, Blackboard Inc.
(202) 463-4860 ext. 2637 or [email protected]

SIIA Communications Contact: Laura Greenback, 410-533-1943, [email protected]

SOURCE Blackboard Inc.