Growing Number of Institutions Select Blackboard to Improve Campus Safety and the Student Experience

Blackboard Platform Offers Integrated Security & Commerce Management

WASHINGTON, Jan. 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Blackboard Inc. (Nasdaq: BBBB), a leading provider of educational technology, announced today that a growing number of colleges, universities and K-12 institutions - including private secondary boarding schools Cushing Academy and Phillips Academy, Andover - have selected the Blackboard(R) campus commerce and security management platform.

The institutions join hundreds of others that have improved campus safety and the student experience with Blackboard's industry leading campus ID card technology, on- and off-campus payment solutions, facility access control and other security solutions. Some of the organizations that have recently selected the Blackboard commerce and security platform include:

    --  Cushing Academy
    --  Endicott College
    --  Fort Lewis College
    --  Jones County Junior College
    --  Maine College of Art
    --  New York Law School
    --  Northwest Nazarene University
    --  Phillips Academy, Andover
    --  Point Loma Nazarene University
    --  Ringling School of Art and Design
    --  Shenandoah University
    --  Tecnologico de Monterrey
    --  University of Arizona
    --  Wallace State Community College

"We had a wide range of needs, including the ability to process financial transactions at campus shops, minimize the need for cash at vending and laundry machines, provide door access, manage campus printing in support of our sustainability initiatives, and provide a tool to take and manage student attendance," said Valerie Roman, Director of Technology at Phillips Academy. "We were looking to address these needs with an integrated solution which could be phased in over time. We partnered with Blackboard based on its long track record, solid financial standing, strong customer base, and high customer satisfaction."

With the integrated Blackboard Transact(TM) platform, institutions can streamline business operations and increase revenue while meeting a wide range of commerce and security needs. Specifically, the platform enables organizations to:

    --  Facilitate campus ID card issuance; on-campus, off-campus and online
        commerce; cashless payment processing for dining, bookstore, vending,
        laundry, copy and parking services; financial reporting; self-service
        account management; and
    --  Monitor all campus and student activity with integrated door access
        control, video surveillance and mass notification capabilities.

"Colleges, universities and K-12 institutions are seeing an increased need for our campus commerce and security management capabilities," said David Marr, President and Chief Operating Officer of Blackboard Transact. "We are excited to provide a platform that delivers a level of proven reliability that is critical to technology leaders focused on meaningful student engagement and improving the student experience."

For more information about Blackboard Transact, please visit http://www.blackboard.com/commerce.

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.

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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 November 6, 2008 with the SEC. In addition, the forward-looking statements included in this press release represent the Company's views as of January 12, 2009. 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 January 12, 2009.

SOURCE Blackboard Inc. 01/12/2009
CONTACT: Matthew Maurer, Blackboard Inc., 1-202-463-4860 ext. 2637,
matthew.maurer@blackboard.com Web Site: http://www.blackboard.com/commerce
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