Pearson VUE Acquires Exam Design

BLOOMINGTON, Minn., March 6, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Pearson VUE, the assessment services business of Pearson, today announced the acquisition of Exam Design Inc, a leading provider of examination development software used in high-stakes testing.

The purchase includes ownership of Exam Design's flagship product, ExamDeveloper, a web-based suite of tools that helps users develop rigorous and defensible assessments for credentialing purposes while reducing the reliance on in-person meetings. These tools will allow Pearson VUE to more fully serve its clients' current and future test development needs by supporting every step in the process, including job analysis, item banking, standard setting, and statistical analysis, with a flexible, user-friendly solution. ExamDeveloper will also enhance Pearson VUE's test development offering by streamlining such processes as remote item authoring, Automated Test Assembly (ATA), version tracking, and QTI-based test publishing.

Pearson VUE has been working with Exam Design for over a year and currently publishes exams created through ExamDeveloper for a variety of clients. Because the company has been a proven and trusted technology partner, Pearson VUE is confident the acquisition is a good fit from both a technological and cultural perspective. Headquartered in North Carolina, the Exam Design business and its employees will remain in their current locations, further supporting a seamless acquisition.

"We're very enthusiastic about joining the Pearson VUE family of products and services," said Scott Bublitz, Ph.D., founder of Exam Design. "By formally integrating our exam development technology with Pearson VUE's comprehensive suite of testing services, together we can offer credentialing organizations an unparalleled solution that supports every facet of high-stakes testing. Clients will enjoy a more streamlined and efficient process, from item authoring through exam delivery."

Robert Whelan, CEO and President of Pearson VUE, said: "Exam Design brings to Pearson VUE leading-edge test development technology that's built on principles of psychometric integrity. Its expertise and services complement our own and fit perfectly with our future plans. This acquisition underscores our commitment to providing next-generation test development tools and services that support and protect the value of our clients' credentials."

About Pearson VUE
Pearson VUE (www.pearsonvue.com) is the global leader in computer-based testing for information technology, academic, government and professional testing programs around the world. Pearson VUE provides a full suite of services from test development to data management, and delivers exams through the world's most comprehensive and secure network of test centers in more than 175 countries. Pearson VUE is a business of Pearson (NYSE: PSO; LSE: PSON), the world's leading learning company.

About Exam Design
Exam Design (www.examdesign.com) creates software that organizations can use to develop, maintain, and analyze high-stakes examinations. Exam Design software is built by testing experts with years of experience designing hundreds of examinations for associations, corporations and government entities across the United States. Their flagship product, ExamDeveloper, streamlines and enhances the test creation process while maintaining a high degree of validity.

SOURCE Pearson VUE