Computer Curriculum Corporation Expands Market Reach and Charts Direction for Adult Education Software Development; K-12 Education Leader Builds on Vision of Community-Wide, Lifelong Learning.

SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 8, 1996--Computer Curriculum Corporation (CCC), a leading publisher of educational software for the K-12 market, today outlined plans to extend its reach into the $70 billion adult education and job training market.

A leading Silicon Valley multimedia software developer, CCC provides educational software solutions to thousands of schools and over a million students worldwide. Now, with Invest Learning Corp. operating under the direction of CCC, the company is well-positioned to become the leader in providing comprehensive courseware for adults.

"There is a crisis in education, with 40 million illiterate adults in the United States. Basic skills and literacy education for adults is essential education. With software designed specifically to reach those adults, we can begin to address the problem," said Dr. Ronald Fortune, CCC president and CEO. "We also intend to develop new solutions that will meet the demand for broader adult education in the corporate training market."

Earlier this month, CCC parent company, Simon & Schuster acquired Mergent Technologies Group which is now operating as Invest Learning Corp. under CCC. Invest specializes in educational software for the adult and older adolescent learner through 1,600 learning center installations at secondary and technical schools, colleges, businesses, community organizations, workplace development programs, and correctional facilities in the U.S. and Canada. Invest Learning's basic and workplace skills courseware encompasses more than 17,000 lessons and learning activities that span from basic literacy training for non-readers to post-secondary levels.

With CCC's support, Invest will place greater resources in product development and distribution. The two companies plan to continue development of innovative new programs like CCC's award-winning Choosing Success, a multimedia course that teaches teens and young adults real-world decision-making.

"CCC and Invest share a similar approach, philosophy, and complementary products. Like CCC, Invest incorporates sound instruction with powerful assessment tools and the latest multimedia technology," said Marie Amoruso, CCC vice president of marketing. "Invest's particular strength is applying these principles to adult learners and reaching them in the appropriate context and environment."

"By combining talents and resources, CCC and Invest can redefine the adult education market," said Jim Dredge, Invest Learning's president and general manager. "Our software will continue to address adult literacy needs, while also reaching a greater number of adult learners through community and corporate training programs."

CCC's expansion into the adult education market is another step in supporting the company's community-wide learning initiative. Other CCC products and programs designed to support community-wide learning are: CCC's HomeReach software which creates a school-to-home link for K-12 learning; CCCnet, the first World Wide Web site to provide interactive, original curriculum online; and the company's partnership with Kaplan Educational Centers.

The Company

Computer Curriculum Corporation, one of the fastest growing units of Simon & Schuster, is a leading publisher of educational software for the K-12 market. By combining its comprehensive courseware with a powerful management system, CCC enables teachers to not only create an engaging learning environment, but establish individualized learning paths, assess progress and measure results against appropriate standards. CCC's software is installed in more than 8,000 schools and is used by more than 1.5 million students worldwide. CCC is committed to providing community-wide learning environments and creating a school-to-home link. CCC has recently begun delivering educational content over the World Wide Web (http://www.cccnet.com) and has also partnered with Kaplan Educational Centers.

Simon & Schuster, the world's largest educational publisher, is the publishing operation of Viacom Inc. Viacom is one of the world's largest entertainment and publishing companies and a leading force in nearly every segment of the international media marketplace. -0-

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