BbWorld '07 Attracts Record Crowd to Boston

Largest Gathering of Blackboard User Community Will Convene to Collaborate and Share e-Learning Best PracticesWASHINGTON, DC, Jun 28, 2007 (MARKET WIRE via COMTEX News Network) -- Blackboard Inc. (NASDAQ: BBBB), a leading provider of educational enterprise software and services, announced today that more than 2,000 members of its e-Learning community spanning 25 countries and 49 states will gather in Boston for the upcoming BbWorld '07(TM) annual users conference. This year's conference, marking the company's ten-year anniversary, opens Tuesday, July 10th at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston.

Attendees from around the world have registered for the conference, traveling from countries including Colombia, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Japan, China and Australia, to meet with peers and share information about enhancing education through the use of Blackboard(R) technology.

BbWorld '07 marks a significant milestone as the inaugural joint global user conference since Blackboard merged with WebCT in 2006, combining the Blackboard Users Conference and the WebCT !mpact user event.

Keynote addresses will be delivered by New York Times best selling author of "Freakonomics," Steven Levitt and Managing Director of Garage Technology Ventures, Guy Kawasaki. More than 200 sessions (most developed and led by clients) on innovative e-Learning initiatives will be offered during the two-and-a-half-day conference. Sessions will delve into the use of Web 2.0 technologies in education such as blogging, wikis and podcasting, the use of gaming and simulations in teaching and learning, and technical sessions related to software migration and application extensions among many other topics.

This will be the 6th year Eric Kunnen, Coordinator of the Instructional Technologies Learning Academy at Grand Rapids Community College, will be attending the Blackboard Users Conference.

"BbWorld is the most important conference I attend all year," said Kunnen. "It provides an excellent opportunity to learn about emerging technologies, discover innovative tools that extend the platform, and the ability to share best practices with peers. One of the greatest values of attending this conference is connecting with Blackboard representatives, and networking with colleagues and peers. It's an all around valuable experience that enhances my effectiveness here at GRCC."

More than 50 Blackboard partners will demonstrate their technologies in the BbWorld exhibit hall, including Wimba, which is also presenting a session about enhancing students' language learning experiences, with Arizona State University and Hebrew College Online.

"BbWorld brings together some of the greatest minds and biggest innovators in education technology," said Matt Wasowski, director of communications, Wimba, provider of collaborative software applications. "This event allows our Wimba team to network with nearly 2,500 education professionals who fully understand the value of technologies that bring people closer together."

"Since its inception, the Blackboard Users Conference has been designed as a platform for and about our clients," said Michael Chasen, President and CEO of Blackboard. "We are pleased to create a venue for all members of the Blackboard community to come together, share best practices around e-Learning and build meaningful relationships with peers from institutions around the globe."

Immediately following BbWorld '07, on July 12 and 13, the 5th Annual Blackboard Developers Conference will kick off in Boston. The event includes 46 sessions in 5 technical tracks. With more than 260 Blackboard Building Blocks(TM) and Blackboard PowerLinks(TM) developers attending, the event is the largest of its kind to date.

For more information on BbWorld '07, including the complete program guide and access to conference registration, please visit www.bbworld07.com.

About Blackboard Inc.

Blackboard Inc. (NASDAQ: BBBB) is a leading provider of enterprise software applications and related services to the education industry. Founded in 1997, Blackboard enables educational innovations everywhere by connecting people and technology. Millions of people use Blackboard everyday at academic institutions around the globe, including colleges, universities, K-12 schools and other education providers, as well as textbook publishers and student-focused merchants that serve education providers and their students. Blackboard is headquartered in Washington, D.C., with offices in North America, Europe, Australia and Asia.

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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-Q filed on May 4, 2007 with the SEC. In addition, the forward-looking statements included in this press release represent the Company's views as of June 28, 2007. 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 June 28, 2007.

Senior Manager Public Relations at Blackboard:
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Blackboard Inc.
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SOURCE: Blackboard Inc.