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WHRO Selects Desire2Learn as their Partner in eLearning for Virginia's Fifteen Regional School Systems

SYNOPSIS: Hampton Roads' Own Public Broadcasting (WHRO) has selected Desire2Learn as their eLearning provider for Virginia's fifteen regional school systems encompassing 286,000 K-12 students and 25,000 educators

Kitchener-Waterloo, ON, Canada, September 14, 2006 — Desire2Learn, a world-leading provider of enterprise eLearning solutions announced today that WHRO has selected Desire2Learn's Learning Environment and Learning Repository to satisfy the eLearning needs of fifteen regional school systems within the state of Virginia.

In late 2005, WHRO began their search for a learning management system that would better assist them in providing professional development courses and K-12 courses online to 286,000 K-12 students and 25,000 educators within Virginia. WHRO required a solution that would unite and encourage collaboration amongst districts, while at the same time, enabling each school system to embrace their own unique identity. WHRO invited a number of key learning management system providers, to present their case.

"With their ease of implementation and innovative offerings, Desire2Learn was the forerunner in our search for a learning management system. Their community approach for sharing and collaboration, and flexibility to adapt and brand each school region according to their unique specifications, delighted the leaders of our regional school systems" said Brian Callahan, WHRO Director of Education. "Desire2Learn meets the needs and trends for our eLearning community making it easy to develop, share, and exchange information across each region, thereby accommodating the needs of both students and teachers."

WHRO was impressed with Desire2Learn's array of tools and functionality promoting organizational and learner assessment. Competencies and rubrics will enable WHRO to help with standardized assessment across all fifteen school regions. At the same time, they encourage a learner-centric environment, improve learner success, and meet WHRO's future growth requirements.

The Desire2Learn implementation will be completed in September 2006. "We are thrilled to begin our work and joint pursuit in improving teaching and learning for the WHRO community of educators and learners," insisted John Baker, President and CEO at Desire2Learn. "Desire2Learn is excited to support WHRO in their future-focused dedication to online education where they can easily develop and share ideas among schools and regions, without boundaries or limitations."

About Desire2Learn Inc.

Desire2Learn, Inc. is a world-leading provider of mission-critical enterprise learning solutions that empower academic organizations to build teaching and learning environments to reflect their vision and goals. Desire2Learn clients include colleges, universities, schools, as well as associations and other leading organizations. There are more than 4 million users of the Desire2Learn enterprise eLearning technology worldwide. Founded in 1999, Desire2Learn is headquartered in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario. For more information, please visit: http://www.Desire2Learn.com

About WHRO

WHRO is a dynamic and vital organization that seeks to improve the civic, educational and cultural life of the Greater Hampton Roads, Virginia community through broadcast, communications, and media services. WHRO serves 286,000 K-12 students and 25,000 educators within a total population of 1.6 million residents located in 19 municipalities. Fifteen (15) of the regional school systems own the assets of WHRO and provide direction to educational offerings. WHRO's educational services have increasingly moved to online, Web-based, and Internet accessed services, with participation extending statewide and beyond. Online professional development courses, Video On-demand services, K-12 online courses, group leases, K-12 student computer competitions, and streaming media are among the varied offerings supporting instruction and learning.

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