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Blackboard ProSites Builds Momentum, Signs 40 Clients in First Year

By: Chris Riedel

10/13/2008

Just one year after launching Blackboard ProSites--an online staff development and employee training platform--Blackboard has licensed the solution to nearly 40 organizations, with close to half of those signing on in the first six months of 2008.

Designed to allow departments and small- to mid-sized organizations to create and deliver staff development and training, Blackboard ProSites is in use throughout the country, with additional clients in Canada and Europe. Current users include corporations, government offices, and non-profit organizations, with trainee numbers ranging from 10 to 500 employees.

Based on the Software as a Service (SaaS) model, Blackboard ProSites offer clients a branded portal, hosted at a personalized Web address. Platform flexibility allows clients to upload existing information to the portal, or create new content. Other benefits include a testing engine, progress tracking, and various collaboration tools.

"Our research clearly identified a need in the marketplace for a low cost, full featured yet easy to use solution for small to mid-sized training and professional development needs," said Tim Hill, President of Professional Education, Blackboard Learn, in a prepared statement. "We developed Blackboard ProSites specifically to meet those needs and built it upon Blackboard's proven technology used by millions of learners around the world every day. We are pleased that the solution has been widely accepted in the market and is delivering for our clients."

Annual subscription fees for the service are $9,500 and include setup, configuration, and deployment consultation; managed hosting; and 24/7 customer support.


About the author: Chris Riedel is a freelance writer based in Florida. He can be reached here.