CBT Systems Signs Significant New Agreement With U.S. Army; 500,000 Army Personnel Worldwide to Have Access to CBT Systems' Comprehensive IT Training Library

Business Wire, March 16, 1999

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 16, 1999--CBT Systems, a leading provider of interactive education software for information technology training, today announced that it has signed a significant new agreement valued at more than $1 million with the U.S. Army.

Under the terms of the agreement, 500,000 U.S. Army personnel worldwide have just-in-time access to CBT Systems' library of over 750 titles using CBT Systems' CBTWeb deployment software.

"Use of computer-based training is an economical alternative to other more expensive forms of training, which require TDY (travel) and tuition costs. This type of training affords employees an opportunity to update their skills and provide feedback loops and self-test," said David Borland, the U.S. Army's vice director of Information Systems for Command, Control, Communications and Computers.

"This type of training will greatly improve computer learning for experienced and inexperienced computer learners."

"The U.S. Army is one of the largest users of information technology in the world," said Bill Lewis, CBT Systems executive vice president, Global Field Sales.

"We focus on helping large organizations meet their enterprise-wide training requirements by offering a broad library of interactive education software titles, which are designed to be easily deployed and managed. Our courseware is also designed to help learners ramp up quickly with the latest technologies, and to use newly acquired skills effectively in real-world situations.

"To that end, we use a four-step training methodology in our courseware that presents the learner with a conceptual overview, demonstration of the technology topic, guidance on how to complete tasks, and finally, hands-on exercises in a realistic simulated environment. We believe our interactive approach effectively engages and prepares learners to be successful in their actual environment.

"We are very pleased that the Army has selected CBT Systems, and we look forward to helping it meet its global training objectives," Lewis added. "As our newest Department of Defense customer, the Army joins a growing list of DOD enterprise customers, including the United States Air Force and the Defense Information Systems Agency."

CBT Systems also works closely with a number of large federal civilian agencies, including the Social Security Administration, the Veterans Administration, the U.S. Postal Service, the Internal Revenue Service, the Departments of State, Transportation, and Energy, the Smithsonian Institution, and many more.

CBT Systems interactive training content is distinguished by an exceptional level of depth, which comes from the company's close co-development partnerships with nearly 20 leading IT companies, including Microsoft, Cisco, Lotus, Novell, IBM, SAP and Intel.

The training content is based on CBT Systems' training methodology, which incorporates the principles of cognitive theory with the understanding that successful learning depends on the motivation and participation of the learner. Titles include hands-on, task-based simulations, which create an authentic application environment for the highest level of skills retention.

Finally, CBT Systems has designed its entire library of interactive courseware for broad deployment. Courseware can be downloaded or accessed in real time over local and wide area networks, intranets, and the Internet, or run from a CD on a stand-alone computer. The company's advanced architecture maintains the integrity of the courseware regardless of how it is deployed, enabling a comprehensive and consistent learning environment.

Army personnel can register for CBT Systems courses at the following URL: http://www.armycbt.jccbi.gov/army/cbt/. Students must register from a military domain, but will be able to take courses through the Internet wherever they are located. Army personnel who do not have a military domain address should contact the COR at cbtcor@issc.belvoir.army.mil.

About CBT Systems

CBT Systems, a subsidiary of CBT Group PLC (Nasdaq:CBTSY), is a leading provider of interactive education software to individuals and business, education and government markets worldwide. The company's comprehensive library covers a range of information technology topics, as well as education on business, management, and professional development.

CBT Systems' courseware, which features in-depth, interactive content, engaging graphics, and hands-on simulations, is optimized for enterprise-wide deployment over networks, intranets, and the Internet.

For information on CBT Systems products, call 888/714-5900, fax 800/387-0933, or send an email to salesinfo@cbtsys.com. CBT Systems is located on the World Wide Web at http://www.cbtsys.com.

Note to Editors: CBT Systems and the CBT Systems logo are trademarks of CBT Group PLC. All other company and product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.