Blackboard Backpack(TM) Wins SIIA 2006 CODiE Award

Blackboard Inc. (NASDAQ: BBBB), a leading provider of e-Learning software and services to colleges, universities and K-12 schools worldwide, announces that, Blackboard Backpack, a mobile learning application that synchronizes the Blackboard Academic Suite(TM), has won the 2006 Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) CODiE Award, for Best Education Technology Solution for Productivity/Creativity. The Blackboard Academic Suite is used by millions of people to access course materials and collaborate with peers and faculty online.

With Blackboard Backpack, students and faculty can easily download local course and organization content in the Blackboard Academic Suite, so that the local application's database is up-to-date and available for non-connected use. The primary benefit is to help students organize all parts of their academic and social lives while encouraging engagement, productivity and mobility.

Blackboard Backpack works with Windows XP laptops, desktops and Tablet PCs. The product was developed by Agilix Labs for Blackboard.

Blackboard Backpack is in use today by students at many major universities and colleges, including Seton Hall University, Drexel University, Columbia Southern University, University of Salzburg, Jacksonville State University, Baylor University and University of Washington. The new solution is also currently being piloted by many other universities.

"It's very exciting to be recognized by SIIA for Blackboard Backpack," said Michael Chasen, CEO of Blackboard. "We are already living and working in a mobile society, and Blackboard Backpack makes it possible for students to improve their productivity and organization no matter where they are."

The CODiE Awards program showcases the software and information industry's finest products and services. The program, now in its twenty-first year, holds the distinction of being the only peer-recognition of its kind in the industry, providing a unique opportunity for companies to earn the praise of their competitors.

To learn more about Blackboard Backpack, please visit www.blackboard.com/backpack.

About Blackboard

Blackboard Inc. (NASDAQ: BBBB) is a leading provider of enterprise software applications and related services to the education industry. Founded in 1997, Blackboard enables educational innovations everywhere by connecting people and technology. With two product suites, the Blackboard Academic Suite(TM) and the Blackboard Commerce Suite(TM), Blackboard solutions are used by millions of people at academic institutions around the globe, including colleges, universities, K-12 schools and other education providers, as well as textbook publishers and student-focused merchants that serve education providers and their students. Blackboard is headquartered in Washington, D.C., with offices in North America, Europe and Asia.

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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 Annual Report on Form 10-Q filed on May 10, 2006 with the SEC. In addition, the forward-looking statements included in this press release represent the Company's views as of May 18, 2006. 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 May 18, 2006.

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