DENVER – eCollege, the nation's leading provider of comprehensive eLearning technology and services to the education industry, today announced a partnership with San Mateo County Community College District (SMCCCD) in California to expand the school's online education opportunities for students.

eCollege, the nation's leading provider of comprehensive eLearning technology and services to the education industry, today announced a partnership with San Mateo County Community College District (SMCCCD) in California to expand the school's online education opportunities for students.

"eCollege has always sought to improve the success of online students in colleges and universities through our online education technology," said Matthew Schnittman, president of eCollege. "This partnership with San Mateo County Community College District, one of California's largest community colleges, demonstrates that the eCollege platform provides an on-demand solution that helps colleges increase their current offerings through online learning, enriching the lives of more students."

SMCCCD's three colleges-College of San Mateo, Skyline College and Canada College-collectively serve more than 40,000 students. In 2006, the district received 12 percent of its revenue from distance education enrollments and made plans to increase the revenue. The district sought a more comprehensive eLearning solution for these distance enrollments to help them meet increasing student demands for the convenience and flexibility of online learning. After a complex proposal review, SMCCCD's Board of Trustees selected eCollege as the most effective system for the district's needs.

"Interest in online education continues to grow at San Mateo County Community College District, and we are committed to delivering first-rate education to our diverse population," said SMCCCD's Chancellor Ron Galatolo. "By partnering with eCollege to deliver our courses on their comprehensive course management system, eCollege can now provide the support and training our online instructors need to reach students successfully. In addition, the eCollege platform's usability and reliability provides students with an easy-to-use learning environment."

About eCollege

eCollege, a Pearson company (LSE: PSON, NYSE: PSO), is a leading provider of value-added information services to the postsecondary and K-12 education industries. The company provides a comprehensive, on-demand eLearning solution that supports some of the most successful, fully online degree, certificate/diploma and professional development programs in the country. eCollege was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Denver. In 2007, eCollege was acquired by Pearson Education, the global leader in educational publishing. Pearson Education is part of Pearson, the international media company. In addition to Pearson Education, Pearson's primary operations include the Financial Times Group and the Penguin Group. For more information, visit www.ecollege.com or www.pearson.com.

About San Mateo County Community College District

The three colleges of the San Mateo County Community College District serve more than 40,000 students each year and offer the first two years of instruction in a wide variety of transfer programs as well as more than 90 vocational-technical programs. Students can earn either Associate in Arts or Science degrees or receive Certificates of Proficiency in their chosen fields. The District is committed to leadership by providing quality education and promoting life-long learning in partnership with its community and surrounding educational institutions. It actively participates in the economic, social and cultural development of San Mateo County. In a richly diverse environment and with increasing awareness of its role in the global community, the District is dedicated to maintaining a climate of academic freedom in which a wide variety of viewpoints is cultivated and shared. The District actively participates in the continuing development of the California Community Colleges as an integral and effective component of the structure of public higher education in the state.

Contacts:
Pearson/eCollege,
Susan Aspey,
(724) 222-0531 or (347) 421-2473

San Mateo County Community College DistrictM
Barbara Christensen
(650) 574-6510
Christensen@smccd.edu