Convene Becomes a Microsoft Online Learning Business Partner.

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--October 3, 1997--Convene International of San Francisco today announced plans to convert its collaborative learning system to Microsoft Exchange Server. Convene International, which recently became a Microsoft Certified Solution Provider, will become one of a small group of organizations providing online learning solutions to Microsoft academic customers. The Exchange Server-based offering will be available in the first quarter of 1998, according to Convene President Jeffery D. Stein.

The association between the two companies, which combines Microsoft's technological leadership with Convene's educational solutions, is expected to rapidly accelerate the process of providing a state-of-the-art distance learning system to colleges, universities, and corporations. The alliance with Microsoft will greatly expand Convene's marketing reach.

Convene currently provides asynchronous, non-web based client server systems for distance learning to a number of colleges and universities, including the University of Phoenix, UCLA Extension, Golden Gate University, and Baker College. Convene is considered to be the leader in designing turnkey distance education solutions for higher and continuing education. The Convene system, which allows students to do most of their work off-line, has been used by more than 20,000 students worldwide, who have completed over 100,000 courses.

Convene is migrating its distance education server software in order to unite its technology with that of the Microsoft Exchange Server, Stein said. He said Convene's server software is being converted to utilize advanced Microsoft tools for inclusion in an internet-based product, which will be jointly promoted by Convene and Microsoft.

"Our focus on the Microsoft platform will enable Convene to provide a more flexible and sophisticated system for schools. Colleges and Universities that want to implement our distance learning system can take the new technology and immediately start to offer their classes via the Internet with a system that has many complex capabilities, including the ability to use web servers and browsers," Stein said. "It will make education available to the masses in a more economical and flexible way."

Toby Richards, Business Development Manager for Microsoft's Education Customer Unit, said Microsoft has a commitment to developing technology that better enables its partners and customers to deploy innovative online learning solutions. He said the collaboration with Convene was based on "Convene's deep understanding of complex requirements for online learning systems."

"Microsoft looks forward to working closely with this innovative partner," Richards said. "With Convene's endorsement of Microsoft Exchange Server, our education customers have even more reasons to feel confident that the Microsoft Windows and Backoffice platforms will enable the best possible solutions for teaching and learning."

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