Washington — April 13

Blackboard Inc. announced the launch of its customized Blackboard Mobile Learn app for iPad on the App Store. The app re-creates the course experience of Blackboard Learn, Blackboard’s online teaching and learning platform, and lets students check grades and assignments, add discussion board comments and blog posts, e-mail instructors and classmates and much more.

With a user experience and Multi-Touch interface that leverages the unique iPad, the app offers an immersive and engaging way for students to access their course work and interactive learning opportunities.

“The iPad can fundamentally change the way students navigate their educational experience,” said Michael L. Chasen, Blackboard’s president and CEO. “We think there’s a lot of potential for mobile learning to drive greater student engagement, and we want to be at the forefront of bringing those innovations to institutions and users.”

Blackboard has made the application free on certain Wi-Fi devices, beginning with the iPad, in an effort to help institutions get started quickly in mobile and to encourage use of the iPad as a learning tool.

In June, institutions will be able to expand support for Blackboard Mobile Learn to a broad range of device platforms — including iPhone OS, Android and BlackBerry — through an annual license that will enable native applications for each that will be available for download by students and faculty at mobile application stores.

Alternatively, schools interested in experimenting with mobile learning on their campus for no additional charge will be able to enable Wi-Fi access to Blackboard Mobile Learn on devices such as the iPhone and iPod touch and, through a special partnership with Sprint, on select smart phones.

Given the secure information that can be accessed with the Blackboard Mobile Learn application, it must be enabled by institutions first before it is accessible to students with their information. Institutions can enable access by installing the free Blackboard Mobile Web Services Building Block, which is available for download at Blackboard’s client support Web site, Behind the Blackboard.