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Lightspan’s Academic Systems and SMARTHINKING Team to Provide Real-Time Math Tutoring Partnership Gives Interactive Mathematics Students Live, Online 24/7 Support

Immediate Contact:

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

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

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA - April 19, 2002 - Academic Systems, the higher education division of Lightspan, Inc. and the leading provider of interactive multimedia instructional programs for college students, and SMARTHINKING, the highly-acclaimed supplier of online academic support for high schools, colleges and universities, today announced a partnership to offer live, online tutoring to students using Academic Systems Interactive Mathematics.

Through the Interactive Mathematics SMARTHINKING Tutoring Service, a new and unique offering provided by the two companies, any higher education institution can offer its students access to full course online mathematics instruction with live, online tutoring available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

"One of the biggest problems educational institutions face is providing learner support in a timely fashion. This is especially true as technology allows learning to take place around-the-clock. This partnership solves that problem for students who are using our Interactive Mathematics course materials," said Jim Dredge, CEO of Academic Systems. "The new offering is part of our ongoing commitment to expand the breadth of the capabilities we offer higher education, by providing integrated products and services that help address the significant issues of student retention and persistence, as well as efficient use of institutional resources."

E-structor® Certified tutors to Help Interactive Mathematics Students

Interactive Mathematics is an award-winning, multimedia instructional resource created in collaboration with educators that provides flexible content for Prealgebra, Elementary Algebra, Intermediate Algebra and College Algebra. Campuses using the materials will, as of this summer, be able to choose the Interactive Mathematics SMARTHINKING Tutoring Service as an optional add-on to their current offerings.

By selecting the new option, campuses can provide their students with the live help they need, when they need it, by connecting with a SMARTHINKING tutor directly from within their Interactive Mathematics lessons. Students engage in live one-on-one, personal tutoring sessions with tutors using an online whiteboard that makes rendering mathematics symbols, problems, and equations easy and intuitive. Students also may use the same graphics rich whiteboard to submit questions and get instructional help returned to them.

"As a client of both SMARTHINKING and Academic Systems, we are thrilled that the two companies have come together to give us greater ability to
improve retention and persistence, better manage enrollments and make efficient use of resources," said Judith Wood, Mathematics Faculty at Central Florida Community College.

In addition to being E-structor® Certified, the SMARTHINKING tutors will be trained to help students specifically using Academic Systems’ Interactive Mathematics curriculum, ensuring seamless tutorial sessions for students. Additionally, each student’s tutorial sessions will be tracked and archived so students can refer back to them, print them out to study from, or ask additional questions.

"Through this partnership students can get the help they need to learn mathematics, whether they’re working from home or in a lab, any time of the day or night, greatly improving their chances for success and helping ensure that students don’t fall through the cracks," said Burck Smith, SMARTHINKING’s CEO. "We look forward to working with Academic Systems to help campuses nationwide use online student support to help increase student achievement and retention."

SMARTHINKING currently works with more than 225 universities and high schools to provide their students with comprehensive online tutoring and academic support. In addition to its institutional clients, SMARTHINKING serves as the online tutoring provider for the eArmy University, which provides access to quality education for enlisted soldiers around the globe.

About Academic Systems

Academic Systems Corporation, the higher education division of Lightspan, Inc. www.lightspan.com has focused on meeting the needs of higher education faculty and students since it was founded in 1992. The company’s interactive, multimedia instructional programs, Interactive Mathematics and Interactive English, offer an enhanced learning environment for college students in developmental and entry-level courses.

Created in concert with educators, Academic Systems’ networked courses have demonstrated increases in learning and achievement; the programs have been used by more than 300,000 students. In addition, academic.com, Academic Systems’ new Web-based product, offers a comprehensive online content library for targeted skill development across many disciplines. For more information contact Academic Systems Corporation at 800-694-6850, or visit the Web site at www.academic.com

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.

"Safe Harbor" statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This release contains forward looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, changes in economic conditions in the Company's market areas; changes in policies by regulatory agencies and educational organizations; the volatility of the Company's expenses and operating results; market acceptance of the Company's curriculum based software and Internet products; management of rapid growth; risks associated with expanding the Company's Internet business; changes in funding for public schools; technological advances and risks related thereto and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company cautions readers not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake, and specifically disclaims any obligation, to revise any forward-looking statements to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events or circumstances after the date of such statements. These risks could cause the Company's actual results for 2002 and beyond to differ materially from those expressed in any forward looking statements by, or on behalf of, the Company.