Blackboard Joins Forces with Microsoft to Make Course Information Available on Web Browsers

Blackboard Joins Forces with Microsoft to Make Course Information Available on
Web Browsers
Companies Collaborate on Blackboard Learn for Bing

DENVER, Nov. 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Blackboard Inc. (Nasdaq: BBBB) today
announced an alliance with Microsoft Corporation (Nasdaq: MSFT) to offer
students and learners access to information from their online courses on Web
browsers, enabling them to keep up with important course updates while surfing
the Web, not just when logged into their Blackboard® accounts.

Under the agreement, Blackboard and Microsoft will work together to enable
notifications to appear in their Web browser using the Bing(TM) toolbar when
new course information becomes available through the Blackboard Learn(TM)
platform. The toolbar will also be compatible with the Internet Explorer® and
Firefox® Web browsers.

Streamlined access to course information will make it easier for millions of
students who log in to their Blackboard accounts several times daily to check
for assignments, grades, announcements and other information. With the
Blackboard Learn toolbar for Bing, IE and Firefox, students will receive
updates on their courses, groups and organizations directly in their browser,
regardless of which Web site they are visiting and without having to log in to
Blackboard every time.

"We are always looking for ways to get information out to students in the
places they already spend their time," said Nick McClure, Lead Systems
Programmer at the University of Kentucky. "Customizing the toolbar to include
personalized Blackboard content will make this more than just another tool.
Students will get security and protection, while staying up to date on their
courses."

Blackboard previously created similar applications to enable students and
learners to receive course notifications and alerts through the Facebook®
platform and on Apple® iPhone® or iPod touch® devices. Together, the
integrations are part of the company's overall effort to increase student
engagement by creating streamlined access to course information in a variety
of popular platforms and devices - not just within Blackboard Learn.

"This partnership extends our effort to bring important educational
information to students wherever they are and whenever they need it, in the
most convenient method possible," said Matthew Small, Blackboard's Chief
Business Officer. "This offering will help our clients continue to drive
adoption of their e-learning initiatives on campus as well as reduce their
support costs."

Work to enable access to course updates in Web browsers, the Facebook platform
and on mobile devices is central to Blackboard's efforts to help institutions
better meet the needs of learners and promote higher achievement through
greater engagement. In each case, Blackboard has worked to ensure the broader
availability of updates on course information to keep users engaged while
taking steps to protect student privacy.

"We are excited to be working with Blackboard to enable students to enjoy
deeper connections to the information that matters most to them," said Jon
Tinter, General Manager of the Microsoft Online Service Division. "Bing is
about helping folks make smarter, faster decisions and our work with
Blackboard will empower students with deeper connections to their course
information and powerful search technologies to help them make better
decisions in their busy day to day lives."

As part of the alliance, Blackboard is also using Microsoft's Bing decision
engine to help power its SafeAssign(TM) plagiarism prevention service. In
addition, Microsoft has joined the Blackboard Alliance Program(TM) as a
Blackboard Premier Partner(TM).

For more information about Blackboard Learn, please visit
http://www.blackboard.com/Teaching-Learning/Learn-Platform.aspx.

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.

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 August 6, 2009 with the SEC. In addition, the
forward-looking statements included in this press release represent the
Company's views as of November 4, 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 November
4, 2009.

SOURCE Blackboard Inc.

Matthew Maurer of Blackboard Inc., +1-202-463-4860 ext. 2637,
matthew.maurer@blackboard.com