Black & Decker Selects Vuepoint in 10-Month Evaluation of 100 Competitors for Global eLearning Solution.

Business Editors/Hi-Tech Writers

LONG ISLAND, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 24, 2001

Vuepoint Solution Will Immediately Save Black & Decker $100,000 In First U.S. Initiative & Will Be Rolled Out in Europe, Latin America &

Asia Over Next Two Years

Vuepoint, an eLearning software and services company that matches speed to knowledge with speed to market, today announces that Black & Decker Corporation (NYSE:BDK) has selected Vuepoint in a 10-month evaluation process of 100 competitors for its global eLearning solution.

Black & Decker will immediately save an estimated $100,000 in training rooms alone during the initial U.S. rollout of the solution, and the company has plans to replicate similar savings and added benefits in its European, Latin American and Asian markets over the next two years.

Aided by University of Maryland MBA students, who acted as consultants in crafting a strategy for choosing the best eLearning system, Black & Decker selected Vuepoint after 10-months, four competitive rounds and nearly 30 hours of presentations.

Vuepoint was not only selected as the global eLearning provider for Black & Decker, but also for its divisions, including DEWALT, Kwikset and Price Pfister.

"We chose Vuepoint because it offers a comprehensive solution as well as a simple way to create proprietary courses quickly. Its content creation tool is just as easy to use as PowerPoint or Word," said Matthew DeFeo, Vice President of Training, Recruiting and Sales and Services for Black & Decker/DEWALT. "Beyond its great product, Vuepoint is a responsive, solutions-oriented company that also helped us blend eLearning with classroom sessions for maximum benefit."

Vuepoint Learning System (VLS) 3.0, a complete e-learning package with both a learning content management system (LCMS) and a learning management system (LMS) as well as eCollaboration technology, will be used to deploy courses to thousands of global employees on such topics as products, manufacturing and a variety of soft skills.

Easy to use and quickly deployed, VLS's single platform gives Black & Decker the ability to rapidly create proprietary content, deploy the courses around the globe, manage the system, and assess how well users are learning in real time. Black & Decker expects the introduction of VLS to double the knowledge retention rates of users as well as enhance morale.

VLS gives Black & Decker the ability to take a blended approach that combines online and classroom training.

"Black & Decker understands that quickly and efficiently educating employees on new product offerings creates a huge competitive advantage," said Ara Ohanian, CEO of Vuepoint. "Our system equips Black & Decker with a 'speed-to-knowledge' edge that will help it continue to succeed within its rapidly changing market."

In March 2002, Black & Decker will roll out its first eLearning course, which will train U.S. sales and marketing employees in Black & Decker's new products over an 18-month period. Within the next two years, courses in manufacturing will be rolled out in Europe, Latin America and Asia.

Additionally, Vuepoint's software will aid Black & Decker in transitioning from model two to model three in Donald Kirkpatrick's widely used four-level model for evaluating training programs, which measures and assures that training applies to employees' jobs.

About Black and Decker

Black & Decker is a global manufacturer and marketer of quality power tools, hardware, and home improvement products used in and around the home and for commercial applications. Black & Decker sells its products and services in more than 100 countries, and has manufacturing operations in 14 countries.

Black & Decker's strong brand names and new product development capabilities enjoy worldwide recognition, and its global distribution is unsurpassed in the power tool industry. For more information, please visit www.dewalt.com or www.blackanddecker.com.

About Vuepoint

Vuepoint (www.vuepoint.com), an eLearning company focused on providing a single platform combining a learning content management system (LCMS), a learning management system (LMS) and eCollaboration technology, creates competitive organizations through a business-savvy approach.

Vuepoint Learning System (VLS) incorporates dynamic knowledge management into an eLearning environment and has helped leading organizations such as Deloitte Consulting, 3Com, Carlson Marketing Group, A.T. Kearney and Toyota achieve speed-to-market advantages, improve productivity and employee retention and streamline costs.

Incorporated in 1996, Vuepoint's management team is comprised of experienced professionals who come from the ranks of global leaders such as Procter & Gamble, KPMG LLP and Dow Jones Telerate as well as experts and scholars from the eLearning industry.