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Blackboard Launches Open Source Services Group
Company Will Support Both Commercial & Open Source Systems
WASHINGTON, March 26, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Blackboard Inc. today announced the launch of Blackboard Education Open Source Services, a new effort to support clients using open source education technologies. With the announcement, the company will continue to focus on its flagship Blackboard Learn(TM) platform as well as ANGEL and Edline, while also helping institutions successfully manage open source learning management systems (LMS) including Moodle and Sakai.
The move complements Blackboard's existing focus on supporting the entire education experience with products and services for learning management as well as mobility, real time collaboration, analytics, campus services and notification, and other needs. Blackboard already serves hundreds of institutions that use Moodle, Sakai and other LMS systems in tandem with these additional education-focused solutions. In extending its focus to include open source options, Blackboard can support a wider variety of approaches to online learning and help institutions increase the value they get from technology of all kinds.
"We want to support teaching and learning wherever it's happening globally, and this is a natural extension of those efforts," said Ray Henderson, Chief Technology Officer and President of Academic Platforms at Blackboard. "The growth of online learning has led to different approaches. We're eager to support those with a broader mix of options and the experience we've gained working with so many institutions to support all different parts of the education experience."
Blackboard Education Open Source Services will be guided by teams from two of the world's leading providers of services to institutions using Moodle: Moodlerooms and NetSpot. Each of the companies has been acquired by Blackboard but will operate independently to support their clients. Blackboard also announced the addition of Charles Severance, founding Chief Architect of the Sakai Project and current Sakai Foundation board member, to guide the company's efforts to support clients using Sakai.
Senior leaders from Blackboard, Moodlerooms and NetSpot signed a Statement of Principles affirming that their work would continue a number of key initiatives currently supported by Moodlerooms and NetSpot, including contributions of software code to the open source community, financial support for the Moodle Trust, and continued support for community gatherings like Moodlemoots.
The announcement follows a series of steps Blackboard has taken to promote greater openness in education. The company has increased the openness of its own systems and policies and has been an active leader in supporting open standards through the IMS Global Learning Consortium.
For more information about Blackboard's work to support open source, please visit http://www.blackboard.com/opensource and read an open letter from Blackboard CEO Michael Chasen and Ray Henderson at http://www.blackboard.com/openletter.
About Blackboard Inc.
Blackboard Inc. 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 represent the Company's views as of the date of this press release. Actual results may differ materially as a result of various important factors. 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 statements at some point in the future, the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to do so.
SOURCE Blackboard Inc.
Blackboard Inc.
CONTACT: Matthew Maurer, Blackboard Inc., +1-202-463-4860 ext. 2637, matthew.maurer@blackboard.com
Web Site: http://www.blackboard.com
Blackboard Launches Open Source Services Group
Company Will Support Both Commercial & Open Source Systems
WASHINGTON, March 26, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Blackboard Inc. today announced the launch of Blackboard Education Open Source Services, a new effort to support clients using open source education technologies. With the announcement, the company will continue to focus on its flagship Blackboard Learn(TM) platform as well as ANGEL and Edline, while also helping institutions successfully manage open source learning management systems (LMS) including Moodle and Sakai.
The move complements Blackboard's existing focus on supporting the entire education experience with products and services for learning management as well as mobility, real time collaboration, analytics, campus services and notification, and other needs. Blackboard already serves hundreds of institutions that use Moodle, Sakai and other LMS systems in tandem with these additional education-focused solutions. In extending its focus to include open source options, Blackboard can support a wider variety of approaches to online learning and help institutions increase the value they get from technology of all kinds.
"We want to support teaching and learning wherever it's happening globally, and this is a natural extension of those efforts," said Ray Henderson, Chief Technology Officer and President of Academic Platforms at Blackboard. "The growth of online learning has led to different approaches. We're eager to support those with a broader mix of options and the experience we've gained working with so many institutions to support all different parts of the education experience."
Blackboard Education Open Source Services will be guided by teams from two of the world's leading providers of services to institutions using Moodle: Moodlerooms and NetSpot. Each of the companies has been acquired by Blackboard but will operate independently to support their clients. Blackboard also announced the addition of Charles Severance, founding Chief Architect of the Sakai Project and current Sakai Foundation board member, to guide the company's efforts to support clients using Sakai.
Senior leaders from Blackboard, Moodlerooms and NetSpot signed a Statement of Principles affirming that their work would continue a number of key initiatives currently supported by Moodlerooms and NetSpot, including contributions of software code to the open source community, financial support for the Moodle Trust, and continued support for community gatherings like Moodlemoots.
The announcement follows a series of steps Blackboard has taken to promote greater openness in education. The company has increased the openness of its own systems and policies and has been an active leader in supporting open standards through the IMS Global Learning Consortium.
For more information about Blackboard's work to support open source, please visit http://www.blackboard.com/opensource and read an open letter from Blackboard CEO Michael Chasen and Ray Henderson at http://www.blackboard.com/openletter.
About Blackboard Inc.
Blackboard Inc. 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 represent the Company's views as of the date of this press release. Actual results may differ materially as a result of various important factors. 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 statements at some point in the future, the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to do so.
SOURCE Blackboard Inc.
Blackboard Inc.
CONTACT: Matthew Maurer, Blackboard Inc., +1-202-463-4860 ext. 2637, matthew.maurer@blackboard.com
Web Site: http://www.blackboard.com