Rioport Inc. and Kaplan Will Offer Free Online Audio Test Preparation Audio Tracks for the GMAT, GRE, LSAT and MCAT

Business Wire, Feb 28, 2000

Business Editors

NEW YORK and SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 28, 2000

RioPort Inc., a pioneer in the digital audio download market, and Kaplan, a leading educational and career services company, will together offer free downloadable test preparation audio tracks for graduate school-bound students at rioport.com.

One half hour each in length, Kaplan will have audio tracks for: Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT), Graduate Record Exam (GRE), Law School Admission Test (LSAT) and the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT). Last September, Kaplan launched comprehensive preparation courses for graduate exams at kaptest.com, the first site to offer full test prep and admissions courses for college- and graduate school-bound students.

"Kaplan is thrilled to be partnering with RioPort, one of the leading digital audio distributors on the Web," said Sharon Miller, vice president and general manager of kaptest.com. "By providing test prep services for students on additional Web sites like rioport.com, Kaplan is able to reach more students worldwide with its proven test-taking strategies."

Located within RioPort's Training/Education section at www.rioport.com, each audio track is 30 minutes in length and includes information for the respective test such as the admissions process, timing, test format and test-taking strategies. "We couldn't be more thrilled to have Kaplan join the ranks of RioPort partners; it's a great match both in terms of content and our relationships in distribution and digital rights management. Kaplan's quality educational audio is an asset to students everywhere, and through our other partners such as MTVi Group, we are already reaching this demographic in large numbers on the Internet," said J.D. Helprin, executive vice president and general manager at RioPort. "By creating a digital distribution platform for them, we will enhance the Kaplan reach through our extensive online distribution network."

Kaplan became the first major industry player to launch online test prep courses when kaptest.com launched last September. Each course offers unlimited access to more than 24 hours of multimedia lessons, full-length practice exams, e-mail help from Kaplan experts who respond within 24 hours or less, a database of frequently asked questions and a comprehensive home student kit. A one-stop shop for college-bound students, kaptest.com offers an SAT prep course, a college admissions course and a range of free services such as financial aid advice, virtual college tours, customized college search engines and links to services for applying to college online.

RioPort Inc.

RioPort Inc. is redefining digital audio by delivering an integrated, secure platform for acquiring, managing and experiencing digital media programming from the Internet. A pioneer in the digital audio market, RioPort partners with companies to provide them with an easy-to-use platform that includes access to a wide range of digital audio content, customizable software solutions and device design services. The RioPort Audio Manager is an easy-to-use software application for the acquisition, management and playback of digital audio content from desktop PCs or RioPort-compatible portable appliances. The company licenses its RioPort Audio Manager to third parties and also provides content companies with production services, including encoding and secure packaging, allowing them to easily get their content into the hands of digital media enthusiasts.

RioPort's investment partners include Vulcan Ventures, Oak Investment Partners, MTVi Group and S3 Inc. RioPort is based in San Jose with offices in Los Angeles and Loveland, Colo., and located online at www.rioport.com.

Kaplan Inc.

Kaplan (www.kaplan.com) is a premier provider of educational and career services to individuals, schools and businesses. Kaplan offers test prep and admissions services (www.kaptest.com); K-12 educational programs for kids and parents through SCORE! Learning Corporation and www.eSCORE.com; on-site education and professional development at schools and universities; books and software; professional educational services; and distance learning programs (www.KaplanCollege.com). Kaplan is also the majority shareholder in BrassRing Inc. (www.BrassRing.com), which combines recruiting, career development and hiring management services for employers and job candidates. Kaplan is a subsidiary of The Washington Post Company (NYSE:WPO).