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Houghton Mifflin and SMARTHINKING Announce Expanded Tutoring Partnership
Tutoring Services to be Linked to Textbooks

Immediate Contact:

Sheila Noon
(206) 283-3054
snoon(AT)smarthinking.com

Lea Douglin
(202) 543-5034 x 245
ldouglin(AT)smarthinking.com

Collin Earnst
Houghton Mifflin
617-351-5113
collin_earnst@hmco.com

WASHINGTON, D.C. / BOSTON - April 08, 2002 - SMARTHINKING, Inc., the leading provider of online tutoring services, and Houghton Mifflin Company, a leading education publisher, announced today a two-year deal to expand their existing higher education partnership. Students purchasing new Houghton Mifflin college textbooks in selected subjects now have access to live, online tutoring by SMARTHINKING's E-structor® Certified tutors knowledgeable in Houghton Mifflin content. SMARTHINKING and Houghton Mifflin began working together in August 2000, and have provided educational support services to students on more than 1500 campuses in the United States and Canada.

"SMARTHINKING tutoring services bundled with Houghton Mifflin instructional materials give students a noticeable edge in the learning process," said June Smith executive vice president, College Division at Houghton Mifflin. "Highly trained tutors are available at the moment students need help. This instant support can have a positive impact on achievement and retention, at the same time, supporting instructors with large student enrollments."

Students use SMARTHINKING's online tutoring environment to work live with a qualified and trained e-structor, to submit a question for response later, or to submit a piece of writing to SMARTHINKING's Online Writing Lab for critique. Every SMARTHINKING e-structor has strong academic credentials in his or her subject, and has been extensively trained in effective tutoring practices.

"Using the Internet to combine tutoring with textbooks is a powerful idea," says Burck Smith, CEO of SMARTHINKING. "With this service, Houghton Mifflin can provide tremendous resources to students and deepen relationships with professors."

About SMARTHINKING (www.SMARTHINKING.com)

SMARTHINKING, the leading provider of online tutoring to colleges and high schools, provides live, online, easy-access tutoring to students. SMARTHINKING works with schools, colleges, universities, textbook publishers and other institutions to help educators offer students outstanding academic support. SMARTHINKING’s custom solutions improve faculty support and raise student performance by connecting students to qualified assistance anytime, from any Internet connection. SMARTHINKING clients include schools, colleges, libraries, education companies, individuals, and anyone seeking to increase student achievement. SMARTHINKING currently works with over 500 school clients and businesses. To learn more, please visit www.smarthinking.com or call 888.430.7429 ext 224.

About Houghton Mifflin

Boston-based Houghton Mifflin Company, a unit of Vivendi Universal Publishing (the third leading worldwide publisher), is one of the leading educational publishers in the United States, with over $1 billion in sales. Houghton Mifflin publishes textbooks, instructional technology, assessments and other educational materials for elementary and secondary schools and colleges. The Company also publishes an extensive line of reference works and fiction and award-winning non-fiction for adults and young readers. Additionally, Houghton Mifflin offers computer-administered testing programs and services for the professional and certification markets. With its origins dating back to 1832, Houghton Mifflin today combines its tradition of excellence with a commitment to innovation. The Company's Web site can be found at www.hmco.com.