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Tuesday August 5 2:05 PM EDT
Company Press Release
TRO Learning Announces Significant Sales, Partnerships,
Development Initiatives, and Alternative Distribution
Agreements for PLATO Products and Services
MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 5, 1997--TRO Learning announced today a
series of significant accomplishments that solidify its position as the leading worldwide provider of
computer-based training and education products for young adult and adult learners. The company
has recently received major contracts from clients throughout the world for its PLATO
courseware products, and has established key strategic partnerships for distribution of PLATO
products and services via the Internet. In commenting on the company's progress, Chairman of
the Board, President and CEO, William R. Roach, commented, ``Significant sales in both our
traditional and Internet markets continue to demonstrate PLATO's superiority in the eyes of our
clients. We have worked diligently over the past several months to identify and implement
alternative distribution channels for PLATO on the Internet, initiate and complete key product
development projects, and to acquire distribution rights for new third-party courseware to
complement our PLATO offerings. All-in-all, we have made dramatic progress toward our
strategic long-term objectives and I am very pleased with what we have accomplished in such a
short period of time.
The company's accomplishments include:
PLATO on the Internet
TRO Learning signed a major contract with BC TEL Interactive, a subsidiary of BC TEL of
British Columbia, to distribute PLATO on the Internet to schools and homes throughout the
province. This partnership represents the first strategic partnership between TRO Learning and a
regional telephone company to create an electronic distribution channel for PLATO. The initial
pilot was launched during the last week in July to select consumers. The official province-wide
launch is scheduled for September 1, 1997.
Tennessee Tomorrow, Inc. officially launched Tennessee SkillsNet statewide based on its
successful eight-month pilot with TRO Learning. In commenting on the launch, George Yowell,
president of Tennessee Tomorrow, said, ``Tennessee SkillsNet and PLATO on the Internet are
solving a major workforce development issue in Tennessee by providing the most efficient and
lowest-cost educational and work skills training on the market. PLATO on the Internet delivers
just-in-time learning to meet the needs of lifelong learners and their employers.''
To support the anticipated significant demand for PLATO on the Internet, TRO Learning has
partnered with UUNET of Fairfax, Virginia, to host PLATO courseware for delivery to customer
sites. UUNET will provide TRO Learning clients with easily accessible, secure, and reliable
access to PLATO on the Internet. UUNET, recognized as the leading worldwide commercial
Internet service provider, serves over 50,000 customers, including major organizations such as
Microsoft, Sony, Marriott, and Pfizer.
PLATO Education Partnerships
The PLATO Education Partnership (PEP) program has received tremendous response from
community colleges and community-based organizations throughout North America. Key
institutions and organizations, such as Daley College in Chicago, Fayetteville Technical
Community College in North Carolina, Southwire Corporation in Georgia, and several others
have already partnered with TRO Learning to provide training and education solutions to their
respective communities via PLATO on the Internet. Tennessee Tomorrow, Inc. is also working
with the Tennessee Board of Regents to demonstrate the efficiencies of the PEP program to nine
educational institutions across the state. The PEP programs offer these organizations the
opportunity to provide self-sustaining, ``just-in-time'' training programs to business and industry
within their communities as they face the broad challenge of training and retraining employees for
the high-skill jobs of today's competitive workforce.
TRO Learning conducted a direct mail campaign on the PEP program to community colleges
across North America in mid-June. To date, over 170 colleges have expressed an interest in
becoming PLATO Education Partners -- an overwhelming response. TRO Learning account
managers are currently following through on the leads, anticipating additional active PEPs prior to
the official launch of the program in October.
Ealing Tertiary College and Barnfield College have become the first and second PEPs in the
United Kingdom, respectively. Over the next several months, each college campus will work with
local business and industry to define the framework for implementing the PEP program within its
community.
PLATO Education
Missouri Adult Education signed an agreement in excess of $1 million to install PLATO Learning
Systems in 42 of its adult basic education program sites. Tipton Prison in Tipton, Missouri,
installed a 200 license, two network PLATO labs to provide inmates with the opportunity to
work toward achieving their GED certificate and toward upgrading their work and technical skills.
The Baltimore Office of Employment Development, an existing PLATO GED client, upgraded its
six sites to include enhanced PLATO academic and WorkSkills courseware to be used for
welfare-to-work reform training initiatives.
NewPath, Inc. of Hartford Connecticut, in partnership with FamilyLINKS, Inc., will use the full
PLATO courseware library and English Discoveries third-party courseware to provide
comprehensive educational services to families in specific multi-unit housing properties. In the
initial phase, approximately 1,000 families will be provided with a Pentium(TM) computer for use
within their own home to enable them to achieve the necessary skills to attain self-sustaining and
meaningful employment. Johnathan Bell, president of NewPath Inc., commented, ``We find
PLATO to be a dynamic and comprehensive tool, and we are very excited about the potential
value that it can bring to our families.''
In the United Kingdom, Ealing Tertiary College will implement PLATO Learning Systems in four
of its sites to deliver PLATO communications, math, and WorkSkills courseware to its students
on 250 workstations. Likewise, Barnfield College will use PLATO for core, basic, and
intermediate programs in communication, math, and WorkSkills. Dixons Technology College and
Cranford Community College, both of which are trust colleges, will implement PLATO
courseware on 210 workstations to assist 14-18 year-olds in a variety of programs, including
GNVQ qualifications and School-To-Work transition.
Aviation Training
Garuda Indonesia, a long-standing client of TRO Learning, signed a contract for A330, TCAS,
and CAT II/III courses; the development of ETOPS; and hardware upgrades to its existing
fileserver and network. Garuda will use these products for transition and recurrent training for
A330 aircraft in its international operations. The TCAS and CAT II/III courses will be used for
pilot training across its aircraft fleet. Lufthansa recently contracted with TRO Learning to upgrade
its existing Dangerous Goods training package to the latest standards imposed by the ICAO.
In Aviation Training product development initiatives, TRO Learning partnered with FlightSafety
Services Corporation to jointly develop C5 GPS/FMS courseware for the United States Air
Force for training its existing and future pilots.
Product Development
TRO Learning formed a strategic partnership with Onyx Interactive Multimedia Ltd. to develop a
virtual, coach-based training system to teach the high-level problem-solving skills used in the
workplace. The development project has received a significant funding grant from the prestigious
Israel - U.S. Binational Industrial Research and Development (BIRD) Foundation in Tel Aviv,
Israel. With a total budget of $1.2 million, TRO Learning and Onyx Interactive will employ
state-of-the-art technologies to jointly develop Windows(TM)-based simulation courseware that
will apply the latest cognitive research on teaching problem-solving and troubleshooting skills.
Learners will work through advanced simulations based on real-world situations with the aid of an
intelligent tutoring system -- or ``coach'' -- to help them solve problems while thinking through the
appropriate strategy. The new courseware will be exclusively marketed by TRO Learning under
the brand name PLATO(R) and will be deliverable via CD-ROM, LAN, Internet, and intranet
platforms.
This project is the latest initiative for TRO Learning in its ongoing research and development into
advanced technologies for instruction of problem-solving skills. As part of a long-term strategic
plan, this project reinforces TRO Learning's continued commitment to aggressively invest in the
PLATO core technologies of instructional design and authoring software, instructional
management, and delivery systems. Recent milestones for the company include the development
of enabling technologies that made possible the significant enhancement of major PLATO
academic curricula and the development of PLATO(R) WorkSkills courseware, the WinPLATO
Windows-based multimedia development environment, the PLATO(R) Pathways
Windows-based instructional management system, and the PLATO(R) on the Internet delivery
system.
Significant new third-party courseware has been added to the PLATO Learning System,
including Daedalus Integrated Writing Environment from the Daedalus Group, Social Studies
courseware from WorldView Software, and Interactive Guide to Financial Statements
courseware from Onyx Interactive Multimedia Ltd.
TRO Learning continued development of several new PLATO courseware products in the topic
areas of math, language arts, problem-solving, business systems, and technology. These products
are scheduled for release beginning in the fall of 1997.
TRO Learning is the leading developer and marketer of microcomputer-based, interactive
self-paced instructional systems. With fiscal 1996 revenues of $41 million, TRO Learning, Inc. is
a publicly held company traded as TUTR on the NASDAQ-NMS. Offering more than 5,000
hours of comprehensive academic and applied skills courseware designed for young adult and
adult learners, PLATO Learning Systems are marketed to middle and high schools, colleges, job
training programs, correctional institutions, military education programs, and corporations. The
PLATO Learning System is delivered via networks, CD-ROM, the Internet, and private
intranets. TRO Learning's training group markets technology-based aviation training products to
airlines worldwide for use in training commercial airline pilots, maintenance crews, and cabin
personnel, as well as customized development and training solutions to businesses to meet their
industry-specific training requirements.
TRO Learning is an international training and education company with headquarters located at
4660 West 77th Street, Edina, Minnesota 55435, (612) 832-1000 or (800) 869-2000. TRO's
executive offices are located at Poplar Creek Office Plaza, 1721 Moon Lake Boulevard, Suite
555, Hoffman Estates, Illinois 60194, (847) 781-7800. TRO Learning has domestic offices
located throughout the United States, and international offices in the United Kingdom, China, and
throughout Canada. TRO Learning has international distributors located in Brunei, Costa Rica,
Korea, Malaysia, Panama, Puerto Rico, Singapore, South Africa, Taiwan, and the United Arab
Emirates. TRO Learning's Web Site address on the Internet's World Wide Web is
www.tro.com.
(R) PLATO is a registered trademark of The Roach Organization,
Inc.
(TM) Windows is a trademarks and registered trademark of
Microsoft Corporation
(TM) Pentium is a trademark of Intel Corporation
Contact:
Diane Welter
Communications Manager
TRO Learning, Inc.
800/869-2000 ext. 1560
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