LAS VEGAS, July 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- John Wiley &
Sons, Inc. (NYSE: JWa, JWb) and Blackboard Inc. (Nasdaq: BBBB)
announced today a new global partnership that will enable
institutions running the Blackboard Learn™ platform to
seamlessly access Wiley's rich collection of learning content and
tools – including the popular online teaching and learning
environment, WileyPLUS.
As part of the partnership, the companies plan to integrate the
content and capabilities of WileyPLUS and Blackboard Learn
to simplify and strengthen the process for adding digital content
and tools to courses. The integration plans to enable users of
WileyPLUS to access the system with their Blackboard®
credentials and automatically synchronize grades and other data
with the Blackboard Learn gradebook.
The integration plans to eliminate the need for students and
instructors to manage activities and information in separate
systems with multiple logins, and it also plans to greatly enhance
adoption and workflow for users of Wiley's digital content and
tools within Blackboard Learn, the most popular learning management
platform in higher education.
WileyPLUS is a research-based, online environment for
effective teaching and learning that includes the entire digital
textbook. With WileyPLUS, students will always know what to
do, how to do it, and if they are doing it right through instant
feedback, personalized learning plans, and self-evaluation tools
that are available 24/7. Available for over 225 Wiley titles and
used in over 20 countries globally, WileyPLUS builds student
confidence because it takes the guesswork out of studying and is
proven to improve student outcomes.
"With this partnership we are extending our mission to 'Help
teachers to teach, and students to learn," said Joseph Heider, Senior Vice President for Wiley's
Global Education. "We are confident that combining Blackboard's
market leadership with the proven ability of WileyPLUS to
help instructors and students succeed, more students will have
access to affordable and effective online educational
solutions."
The announcement was made at BbWorld®, Blackboard's
annual user conference being held this week in Las Vegas. As part of the partnership, Wiley
becomes a Blackboard Strategic Partner™ in
the Blackboard Partnerships Program™.
"Wiley is known for its high-quality content and pedagogy and
has a strong global brand in education," said Matthew Small, Chief Business Officer at
Blackboard. "We are pleased to partner with them to offer our
combined clients and users a simpler, more powerful learning
experience that leverages the full possibility of integrating
digital content and tools with the Blackboard Learn platform."
For more information about Blackboard Learn, please visit
http://www.blackboard.com/learn. For more information about Wiley,
please visit http://www.wiley.com.
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.
About Wiley
Founded in 1807, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. has been a valued
source of information and understanding for more than 200 years,
helping people around the world meet their needs and fulfill their
aspirations. Wiley and its acquired companies have published the
works of more than 450 Nobel laureates in all categories:
Literature, Economics, Physiology or Medicine, Physics, Chemistry,
and Peace.
Wiley's core businesses publish scientific, technical, medical,
and scholarly journals, encyclopedias, books, and online products
and services; professional/trade books, subscription products,
training materials, and online applications and Web sites; and
educational materials for undergraduate and graduate students and
lifelong learners. Wiley's global headquarters are located in
Hoboken, New Jersey, with
operations in the U.S., Europe,
Asia, Canada, and Australia. The Company's Web site can be
accessed at http://www.wiley.com. The Company is listed on the New
York Stock Exchange under the symbols JWa and JWb.
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 13, 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 13, 2011.
SOURCE Blackboard Inc.; John Wiley & Sons, Inc.