[DG: Open Forum] Fwd: Important Communication from Blackboard

[Luke Fernandez]

FYI...


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Michael Chasen <blackboard at blackboard.com>
Date: Wed, May 6, 2009 at 2:18 PM
Subject: Important Communication from Blackboard
To: luke.fernandez at gmail.com


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Dear Luke,

I'm writing today to communicate the news that Blackboard has acquired
ANGEL Learning and to share with you some of the thinking behind the
combination.

Why put these two organizations together? This combination was about
getting better. At Blackboard we're always trying to improve, both by
focusing internally within our company and by looking externally to
other organizations we admire, like ANGEL. We admire them not just for
their story of entrepreneurial growth and impact on teaching and
learning, but also for very specific strengths that we wanted to add
to our story and deliver to our clients:

- The first is their customer support culture that has translated into
consistently excellent experiences for ANGEL clients. We can learn
from their skill in this area and add their know-how to the ever
improving client support capability we're building here at Blackboard.

- The second is their history of innovation - especially in the areas
of user experience, teaching and learning tools and course-based
assessment. Independently our two offerings have led the way in a lot
of areas. Now we have the opportunity to bring these strengths
together for the benefit of learners in our Project NG vision for the
future of the Blackboard platform.

>From ANGEL's perspective, and especially in today's economic
environment, joining these strengths with Blackboard's own innovation,
industry leadership and financial stability also made a lot of sense.

At the ANGEL Users Conference in Chicago next week we'll be talking
about how the solutions will come together and will send you an update
after we get back. The short story is that ANGEL's latest release,
ANGEL LMS 7.4 which launched last week, will continue as planned. In
parallel we'll set about the work of bringing the product innovations
of both companies to the new combined client community.

As we move forward and knit our organizations together, we’ll continue
to be very focused on the client experience. That means drawing on
what we’ve learned from previous integrations and minimizing
distractions while weaving the best of ANGEL into the tangible value
you get from working with us every day. More than anything, today’s
news directly supports our top goal of continuing to bring clear added
value to your investment in Blackboard.

You can learn more at www.blackboard.com/angel
[http://www.blackboard.com/angel] , but please feel free to contact me
(CEO at blackboard.com) or your Blackboard representative if you have any
questions or comments.

In closing, thank you once again for your institution's partnership
with us. We look forward to showing you the benefits of this latest
step in our ongoing effort to be a stronger, more flexible and
creative supporter of your teaching and learning goals for the near
and long term.

Sincerely,

Michael Chasen
President & CEO
Blackboard





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