Desire2Learn Offers the First Fully Integrated Learning Platform to Higher Education, K-12 and Enterprises Worldwide

KITCHENER-WATERLOO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Oct. 8, 2013) - Desire2Learn today unveils the newest version of Desire2Learn Learning Suite. This is the world's first fully Integrated Learning Platform (ILP) designed with the learner in mind, connecting the entire learning community to a global ecosystem of educational solutions and resources. The focus of this release is to enable an integrated experience that supports the best possible "one-size-fits-me" experience for every learner.

The ILP integrates all of the most innovative learning tools available on the market today into one platform, including traditional online learning technology, mobile tools, predictive analytics, adaptive learning, social sharing and collaboration tools, MOOCs or Open Courses, and an ecosystem of services and solutions. This open ecosystem includes integrations with hundreds of Desire2Learn partners, including IBM and the Smarter Planet initiative for Education (http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/37445.wss). These elements are all available in one place while data is shared and leveraged across the platform. With the ILP, institutions are able to address the key challenges they are facing today related to a modern user experience, engagement, retention, and outcomes.

"Education is in the midst of a dramatic transformation. Technology is driving a fundamental shift in the practice of teaching, providing online and blended learning experiences of all types to support the current and next generation of learners," said John Baker, president and CEO, Desire2Learn. "The ILP is all about the learner. It empowers institutions to harness the power of technology and the trends transforming education - such as ad-hoc group collaboration, social, BYOD mobile strategies, MOOCs and predictive analytics - in one easy-to-use interface to attain a truly personal learning experience."

Designed for the Way We Learn:

• Deeper Engagement through Sharing and Collaboration for Learners: With the acquisition and integration of Wiggio, Desire2Learn now offers enterprise-class communications tools that empower learners to easily manage group messaging, file sharing, ad-hoc learner/group collaboration, scheduling, and task management. Wiggio, along with Office 365™ and Google Apps™, is now a fully integrated component of Desire2Learn Learning Environment, providing the most comprehensive group collaboration and sharing tools available for education.
  
  
• Binder Shop Puts the Right Content at Learners' Fingertips: Desire2Learn Binder™ is a mobile and web-based app that enables learners to use their tablets or desktops to consume, annotate, and mark-up content from courses, e-textbooks, or cloud-based solutions like Dropbox.com and SkyDrive^® - providing greater opportunities to create a personal learning experience. The introduction of Binder Shop grants learners access to thousands of educational titles - such as e-textbooks and study guides - from a growing number of the world's top academic publishers, including Cengage and McGraw-Hill Education. Learners have the option to rent or buy content from directly within the learning environment. "Desire2Learn's innovation continues to align very well with McGraw-Hill Education's goal of delivering engaging, adaptive and personalized solutions that improve performance and results," said Stephen Laster, Chief Digital Officer, McGraw-Hill Education.
  
  
• Mobile ePortfolio Takes Social and Experiential Learning Everywhere: Desire2Learn ePortfolio creates an experiential learning environment for learners, enabling them to store, organize, and share their educational experiences, goals, progress, and accomplishments. Through its deep integration with Learning Environment, learners can demonstrate critical thinking and analytical skills developed for both school and career advancement. With the addition of Mobile ePortfolio, learners can document and reflect on their learning experiences and achievements wherever their day takes them - helping them transform informal learning into formal goals and objectives. "A great example of this technology in action is found in the field of nursing. Future nurses can capture and share their learning experiences with their classmates while in the hospital, helping them all accelerate their learning," stated Baker.
  
  
• Open Courses Redefines the MOOC Model: Desire2Learn® Open Courses addresses the primary inhibitors to the long-term viability of MOOCs. Institutions continue to maintain copyright on their content, control the course direction and integrity, and can import content quickly and easily from their existing learning environments. Learners benefit from a proven and mature higher ed-level experience while also enjoying the power and functionality of an integrated learning platform. Open Courses is available as a shared cloud implementation, a benefit which existing Desire2Learn clients can leverage without creating a new vendor relationship.
  
  
• Smoother Workflows, Simplified Navigation: This update advances the learning experience driven by input from Desire2Learn clients, resulting in hundreds of new enhancements and tools that are easy to use and built for the way teachers teach and learners learn.
  

The newest version of the ILP is now available to new and existing customers. For more information, please visit: http://www.desire2learn.com/products/learning-suite/whats-new/, contact us at sales@desire2learn.com or call 1-800-772-0325.

About Desire2Learn

Desire2Learn is helping to transform the way the world learns by providing the world's first truly Integrated Learning Platform (ILP) to engage and inspire lifelong learners. Desire2Learn helps clients break down barriers to access the highest quality learning experiences, and is recognized for its leadership in accessibility. Desire2Learn is a global leader in online learning solutions and provides an open and extensible platform to over 850 clients and over 10 million learners in higher education, K-12, healthcare, government and the corporate sector, including the Fortune 1000. Desire2Learn has personnel in the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, Brazil and Singapore. For more information or to contact us, visit: http://www.Desire2Learn.com.

* Desire2Learn, Wiggio and the molecule logo are trademarks of Desire2Learn Incorporated, registered in the U.S. and other countries. Binder Shop services provided by D2L Commerce Inc.