Course Technology Launches Internet Version of SAM 2000™

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Boston, MA, February 1, 2001 – Course Technology, a division of Thomson Learning, today announced that they have begun hosting their popular SAM 2000 skills-based assessment software for Microsoft® Office 2000 on their own Internet server. SAM 2000 Net-Ready incorporates the same user-interface and features of the current version of SAM 2000 that is delivered via a Local Area Network (LAN), but now additionally offers customers the power and flexibility of having Course Technology host the software.

Without having to install SAM on the LAN, an institution no longer has to maintain the softwares database and involve their network administrator. In addition, student testing is localized, which allows hundreds of users to work in SAM 2000 Net-Ready concurrently.

According to Joe Dougherty, CEO of Course Technology. With over 100,000 users of SAM 2000, SAM Net-Ready is hitting the marketplace with a lot of momentum. It is the de facto standard. An Internet based, Microsoft Office, performance-based assessment system should open up significant market opportunities for Course Technology within all of our markets. There is no other live-in-the-application assessment product as rich in features, robust in administrative capability and as stable as SAM 2000 and now SAM Net-Ready.”

Course Technologys SAM 2000 is one of the only performance-based testing packages that runs live in the application while students take exams. SAM 2000 measures students’ ability and helps instructors assess proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, Access and PowerPoint 2000. Along with Courses superior technical support, SAM Net-Ready creates a fail-proof testing environment.

SAM 2000 provides detailed reports with page references to all of Course Technologys Microsoft Office 2000 titles including the best-selling Shelly Cashman Series. SAM 2000 also includes pre-built exams that map to the Core and Expert levels for the popular Microsoft Office User Specialist (MOUS) Certification. Instructors can easily choose a ready-made certification exam and make it available as a practice test that students can take repeatedly, until they feel comfortable taking the actual MOUS exam.

Since releasing SAM for Office 97 two years ago, there has been a substantial increase of instructors who believe live-in-the-application testing is critical for true assessment. SAM 2000 Net-Ready will be available starting with the Summer and Fall 2001 semesters.

About Course Technology

Course Technology (www.course.com), a division of Thomson Learning, is the worldwide leader in computing education, offering more than 1,600 print and innovative technology-based product for business and technology training courses. Thomson Learning is among the worlds largest providers of lifelong learning information. Headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, with multiple offices worldwide, Thomson Learning (www.thomsonlearning.com) is a division of The Thomson Corporation (TTC).

Contact

Course Technology, Thomson Learning

Susan Ogar

Director of Product Marketing

(617) 757-8255

Susan.Ogar@course.com

GCI Group

Marie DiFrancesco

Vice President

(212) 537-8101

mdifrancesco@gcigroup.com