Blackboard Introduces New Blackboard Learning System Releases That Pave the Way for Next Generation Solutions

Release 8.0 Now Available for Blackboard Learning System and

                           CE-Vista Editions

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 27, 2008--Blackboard Inc. (NASDAQ: BBBB), a leading provider of enterprise technology to the education industry, announced today the general availability of Release 8.0 of the Blackboard Learning SystemTM - CE and Vista Licenses. Following the December 2007 launch of Release 8.0 for the flagship Blackboard Learning SystemTM - Enterprise License, this latest advancement brings all of the company's teaching and learning product lines to an 8.0 release.

These releases deliver new levels of enterprise-grade stability to the former WebCT product line and start adding important new features and approaches common to both lines of the Blackboard Learning System such as:

    --  SafeAssign(TM), Blackboard's plagiarism prevention service, at
        no additional cost for enterprise level clients;

    --  Blackboard Scholar(R), an academic resource-sharing
        application and social-networking community that brings
        together educators and students across the Blackboard
        community; and

    --  Grade Center, the powerful new grade book available in Release
        8.0 for the Blackboard Learning System - Enterprise License.
        Leveraging the best-practice assessment functionality in the
        CE-Vista products, Grade Center delivers an easy-to-use Web
        2.0 interface, personalization that maximizes instructor time,
        and powerful analysis tools.

    Improved Stability and Interoperability for CE-Vista Editions

Clients are already experiencing the benefits of Release 8.0, which went through the most rigorous performance and scalability testing of any CE-Vista release. "We are looking forward to exploring the advantages of Scholar and SafeAssign for the academic community while delivering a steady product to the faculty," said Dr. Rhonda D. Blackburn, Assistant Provost, Educational Enhancement at University of Texas at Dallas. "Being on this release helps prepare us for future advances and we're excited to see what's next."

Release 8.0 for CE-Vista also now features built-in integration to the full engagement and assessment capabilities of the Blackboard Academic Suite(TM). Clients using former WebCT products can now easily expand the reach and impact of their teaching and learning solutions with the Blackboard Community System(TM), the Blackboard Content System(TM) and the Blackboard Outcomes System(TM).

A Step Towards an Integrated Next Generation Solution

Together, the 8.0 releases mark an important milestone in Project NG, Blackboard's multi-year, multi-release project to deliver a next generation teaching and learning platform that combines the latest Web 2.0 technology with the best of Blackboard and WebCT products.

"Release 8.0 brings us one step closer to launching a next generation teaching and learning platform that combines the collective innovations of Blackboard and WebCT solutions in a single code base," said Michael Chasen, President and CEO of Blackboard. "I'm truly excited about this important milestone in our efforts to introduce new product capabilities that engage students, leverage the power of social learning communities and drive success in institutional assessment."

Blackboard will be presenting all that's new for clients at its upcoming BbWorld(TM) Europe user conference in Manchester, England May 12-14 and BbWorld in Las Vegas July 15-17.

    To learn more about Release 8.0 please visit www.blackboard.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.

    Blackboard

    Educate. Innovate. Everywhere.(TM)

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 20, 2008 with the SEC. In addition, the forward-looking statements included in this press release represent the Company's views as of March 27, 2008. 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 March 27, 2008.

    CONTACT: Media Contact:
             Fleishman-Hillard Inc.
             Amy Storey, 202-828-8819
             or
             Public Relations at Blackboard:
             Brian Cooley, 202-463-4860, ext. 2377

    SOURCE: Blackboard Inc.